' 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1868,  by 

WILLIAM     S  C  H  O  U  L  E  R, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


CAMBRIDGE: 

STEKEOTYl'ED   AND    PRINTED    BY   JOHN   WILSON   AND    SON. 


TO    THE    HONORABLE 

LEV  I     LINCOLN, 

OF   WORCESTER, 
THE  MOST  VENERABLE  AND   DISTINGUISHED   LIVING   CITIZEN  OF  MASSACHUSETTS, 

2Tfjis  Uohtme 

IS  RESPECTFULLY  DEDICATED   BY 

THE  AUTHOR. 


£  .51 431 


PREFACE. 


THE  original  plan  of  this  work  would  have  included  a  brief 
narrative  of  each  Massachusetts  regiment  which  had  served  in 
the  war,  and  a  sketch  of  the  meetings  held  in  the  several  cities 
and  towns  in  the  Commonwealth  to  encourage  recruiting,  and 
to  raise  money  and  provide  for  the  families  of  the  soldiers.  I 
soon  found  it  was  impossible  to  carry  out  this  plan  so  as  to  do 
any  thing  like  justice  to  the  subjects.  The  mass  of  papers, 
letters,  and  reports  bearing  upon  them  placed  in  my  hands, 
convinced  me  that  one  volume  should  be  devoted  exclu 
sively  to  the  three  years'  regiments,  and  one  to  the  cities  and 
towns. 

There  are  several  thousand  letters  in  the  files  of  the  Gov 
ernor,  Adjutant-General,  and  Surgeon-General,  written  from 
the  front  by  officers  and  enlisted  men,  which  contain  information 
both  interesting  and  valuable  ;  and  many  more  are  doubtless  in 
the  possession  of  the  families  of  those  who  served  in  the  war. 
From  these  and  other  sources,  material  can  be  furnished  to 
make  an  interesting  volume  ;  and  it  is  due  to  the  veteran  regi 
ments  that  it  should  be  written. 

I  have  received  new  and  valuable  material  from  nearly  every 
city  and  town  in  the  Commonwealth,  showing  what  was  done 
by  them  in  carrying  on  the  war ;  and  from  this  could  be  com 
piled  a  work  which  would  reflect  the  highest  honor  upon  the 
municipalities  of  this  Commonwealth. 

Should  the  present  volume  be  received  with  favorable  regard 


VI  PREFACE. 

by  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  it  is  my  purpose  to  write  a 
volume  of  the  same  size  and  style,  devoted  exclusively  to  the 
three  years'  regiments  and  batteries,  to  be  followed  by  another, 
devoted  to  the  cities  and  towns. 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER. 

LYNN,  March  17,  1868. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Massachusetts  —  Civil  Government  —  Election,  1860 —  Legislature  — 
President  of  the  Senate  —  Speaker  of  the  House  —  State  of  the 
Country  —  Farewell  Address  of  Governor  Banks  —  Governor  An 
drew's  Inaugural  —  Their  Views  of  the  Crisis  —  Sketch  of  Governor 
Andrew  —  Lieutenant-Governor  —  Executive  Council  —  Adjutant- 
General —  Military  Staff — Congressmen — The  Volunteer  Militia  — 
Military  Equipment  —  Early  Preparations  —  Salutes,  8th  of  January 
—  General  Order  No.  2  —  Report  of  Adjutant- General  —  General  Or 
der  No.  4  —  Proceedings  of  the  Legislature  —  Regular  Session  — 
Emergency  Fund  —  Loan  Credit  of  State — Delegates  to  Peace  Con 
vention  —  South  Carolina  to  Massachusetts  —  Two  thousand  Over 
coats —  Order  of  Inquiry  —  Letter  of  Adjutant-General  —  Letter  of 
Colonel  Henry  Lee,  Jr.  —  Meeting  of  Officers  in  Governor's  Room  — 
Colonel  Ritchie  sent  to  Washington  —  His  Letters  to  the  Governor  — 
Secretary  Seward's  Letter  —  Letter  of  Colonel  Lee  —  Charter  of 
Transports  —  John  M.  Forbes,  Esq. — Meeting  in  Faneuil  Hall  — 
Meeting  in  Cambridge  —  Speech  of  Wendell  Phillips,  Esq.,  at  New 
Bedford  —  Remarks  —The  President  calls  for  Troops'— The  Eve  of 
Battle  1-48 


CHAPTER    II. 

The  Call  for  Troops  —  The  Marblehead  Companies  first  in  Boston  —  The 
Excitement  of  the  People  —  Headquarters  of  Regiments  —  Four 
Regiments  called  for  —  General  Butler  to  command  —  New  Companies 
organized  —  Liberal  Offers  of  Substantial  Aid  —  Dr.  George  H.  Ly- 
man,  Dr.  William  J.  Dale,  Medical  Service — Action  of  the  Boston 
Bar  — The  Clergy,  Rev.  Mr.  Cudworth  — The  Women  of  the  State 
—  The  Men  of  the  State  —  Liberal  Offers  of  Service  and  Money  — 
Robert  B.  Forbes,  Coast  Guard  —  Colonel  John  H.  Reed  appointed 
Quartermaster — The  Personal  Staff — Executive  Council  —  Mr. 
Crowninshield  appointed  to  purchase  Arms  in  Europe  —  An  Emer- 


11  CONTENTS. 

gency  Fund  of  Two  Hundred  Thousand  Dollars  —  Letter  of  the 
Governor  to  Secretary  Cameron  —  General  Butler  consulted  —  The 
Route  by  Annapolis  —  Narrative  of  Samuel  M.  Felton  —  Mr.  Lin 
coln's  Journey  to  Washington  —  His  Escape  from  Assassination  — 
The  Third  Regiment— Speech  of  Ex-Governor  Clifford  —  The 
Fourth  Regiment  — Address  of  Governor  Andrew  —  Departure  for 
Fortress  Monroe  —  The  Sixth  Regiment  —  Departure  for  Washing 
ton  —  Reception  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia  —  The  Eighth  Regi 
ment —  Departure — Speeciies  of  Governor  Andrew  and  General 
Butler — Reception  on  the  Route — Arrival  in  Philadelphia  —  The 
Fifth  Regiment  sails  from  New  York  for  Annapolis  —  Major  Cook's 
Light  Battery  ordered  to  Washington  —  The  Third  Battalion  of 
Rifles  sent  forward  —  The  Massachusetts  Militia  —  Arrival  of  the 
Third  Regiment  at  Fortress  Monroe  —  Attempt  to  save  Norfolk  Navy 
Yard  —  The  Fourth  Regiment  the  first  to  land  in  Virginia  —  Fortress 
Monroe  — Big  Bethel  — The  Fifth  Regiment  —  Battle  of  Bull  Run 
-  The  Sixth  Regiment  — Its  March  through  Baltimore  —  The  Nine 
teenth  of  April  — First  Blood  shed  — The  Eighth  Regiment  — Lands 
at  Annapolis  —  Saves  the  Frigate  Constitution  —  Arrives  in  Wash 
ington—  The  Rifle  Battalion  at  Fort  McHenry  —  Cook's  Battery  at 
Baltimore  — End  of  the  Three  Months'  Service  —  Conclusion  .  49-108 


CHAPTER  III. 

The  People  of  the  Towns  —  The  Press  —  The  Pulpit  —  Edward  Everett 

—  Fletcher  Webster  offers  to  raise  a  Regiment —  The  Sunday  Meet 
ing  in  State  Street — Mr.  Webster's  Speech — Meeting  in  the  Music 
Hall  —  Speech    of    Wendell    Phillips  —  Meeting    in    Chester   Park 

—  Speeches  of  Edward  Everett  and  Benjamin  F.  Hallett  —  Meeting 
under  the  Washington   Elm   in   Cambridge  —  Ex-Governor  Banks, 
George  S.  Hillard,  and  others  — Letters  received  by  the  Governor  — 
Extracts  —  Reception  of  the  Dead  Bodies  of  the  Killed  in  Baltimore 

-Mr.  Crowninshield  goes  abroad  to  buy  Arms  —  Ex-Governor  Bout- 
well  sent  to  Washington— Letter  of  John  M.Forbes  to  Mr.  Felton 

—  Letter  to  General  Wool  —  To  Rev.  Dr.  Stearns  —  To  Robert  M. 
Mason  —  Offer  of  a  Ship  Load  of  Ice  —  Purchase  of  the  "  Cambridge  " 

—  Provisions  sent  to  Fortress  Monroe  and  Washington  —  Governor 
to  President  Lincoln  — Attorney-General   Foster— The   Ladies   of 
Cambridge  —  Call  for  Three  Years'  Volunteers  — Letter  of  John  M. 
Forbes  —  Letters  received  by  the  Adjutant-General  —  Extracts  —  Let 
ters  from  Dr.  Luther  V.  Bell  and  Richard  II.  Dana,  Jr.  —  Ex-Govern 
or   Bout  well   arrives   at    Washington  — Letters   to   the   Governor  — 
State  of  Afluirs  at  Washington —  Letter  from  Mr.  Foster— Cipher 
Telegram— Judge  Hoar  at  Washington —  Letters  to  the  Governor  — 
The  War   Department   will   accept   no   more    Troops  —  Charles    R. 
Lowell,  Jr.,  Massachusetts  Agent  at  Washington  —  His  Instructions 
-Letter  of  Governor  to  Dr.  Howe  —  Appointed  to  examine  the  Con- 
Htionof  the  Regiments  — His  Report  —  Colonel  Prescott  —  Letters 

of  the  Governor  and  General  Butler— Slavery 109-161 


CONTENTS.  IX 

CHAPTER   IV. 

Companies  sent  to  the  Forts  —  Officers  appointed  to  Command  —  Militia 
Battalions  —  First  Call  for  Three  Years'  Troops  —  Delays  at  Wash 
ington  —  Letter  to  Montgomery  Blair  —  Letter  of  Secretary  of  War 

—  General  Order  No.  12  —  Six  Regiments  allowed  —  Governor  anx 
ious   to   send   more  —  Letter   of  General  Walbridge  —  Governor  to 
Senator  Wilson  —  More  Delay  —  Extra  Session  of  the  Legislature  — 
Address   of  the  Governor — Proceedings   of  the  Legislature  —  War 
Measures  adopted  —  Debate  on  Colored  Troops  —  Bills  passed  by  the 
Legislature  —  Sinking    Fund  —  Government     Securities  —  Pay    of 
Troops  —  Established    Camps  —  Seven   Millions   of  Dollars  —  State 
Aid  to  Families  of  Soldiers  —  The  Six  Regiments  of  Three  Years' 
Men  —  Ten  more  Regiments  called  for  —  Their  Organization  —  Ad 
ditional   Staff   Officers  appointed  —  Surgeon-General's    Department 
organized  —  Letter  of  Governor  to  Dr.  Lyman  —  Board  of  Medical 
Examiners  —  Promotion   of   the    Surgeon-General  —  Letter  of   the 
Governor  to  Colonel  Frank  E.   Howe — New-England  Rooms,  New 
York  —  Letter  of  Colonel  Lee  to  Charles  R.  Lowell. — Letters  of  the 
Governor  to  Different  Parties  —  Circular  of  the  Secretary  of  War  — 
Colonel  Browne  to  Colonel  Howe  —  Abstract  of  Correspondence  — 
Colonel  Sargent  to  General  Scott —  Cobb's  Battery  —  Letter  to  Colo 
nel  Webster  —  Letter  to   the   President  —  Irish   Regiments  —  Flag- 
raising  at  Bunker-Hill  Monument  —  Speech  of  Governor  Andrew  — 
Speech  of  Colonel  Webster —  Interesting  Ceremonies  —  Conclusion    162-215 

CHAPTER    Y. 

Death  of  Governor  Andrew  —  The  Great  Loss  —  Mission  of  Mr.  Crown- 
inshield  to  Europe  —  The  Purchase  of  Arms  —  Colonel  Lucius  B. 
Marsh  —  Vote  of  Thanks  by  the  Council — The  Policy  of  the  Gov 
ernor  in  making  Military  Appointments  —  Letter  to  General  Butler  in 
Regard  to  our  Soldiers  —  Neglect  of  Officers  —  Letter  to  Colonel 
Couch,  of  the  Seventh  —  Sends  Two  Thousand  Muskets  to  Wheeling, 
Va.  —  General  Lander — Governor  Stevens,  of  Oregon  —  General 
Sherman  comes  to  Boston  to  confer  with  the  Governor  —  The  War 
Department  and  Appointments  —  Governor  makes  an  Address  to  the 
People  —  Mission  to  Washington  —  Writes  to  Governor  Curtin,  of 
Pennsylvania  —  Blockade-runners  at  Halifax  —  Governor  saves  the 
Life  of  a  Private  Soldier  —  His  Letter  to  Patrick  Donahoe  —  Reli 
gious  Toleration  —  To  the  Editor  of  the  Boston  Post  —  Massachusetts 
Companies  in  New- York  Regiments  —  General  Sherman's  Command 

—  Liberality  of  the  People  —  Battle  of  Ball's  Bluff — The  Massachu 
setts  Dead  —  A  Noble  Letter  —  Exchange  of  Prisoners  —  Governor's 
Letter  to  President  Lincoln  —  Scheme  to  invade  Texas  —  Suggests 
that  Congress  offer  Bounties  —  Controversy  about  making  Massachu 
setts  Soldiers  catch  Fugitive  Slaves  —  Letter  to  General  McClellan  — 
Another  Letter  to  the  President,, about  Exchange  of  Prisoners  —  Our 
Men  in  Richmond  Jail  -^1W  Francisco  sends  Two  Thousand  Dollars 
for  Soldiers'  Families  —  The  Maryland  Legislature  —  Liberal  Action 


CONTENTS. 


—  The  Republican  State  Convention  —  Interesting  Debate  —  Demo 
cratic  Convention— Thanksgiving  Proclamation  —  Thanksgiving  in 
the  Massachusetts  Camps  — Major  Wilder  Dwight  — The  Second 
Regiment  at  Harper's  Ferry  —  Full  Account  of  the  Controversy  be-  . 
tween  Governor  Andrew  and  Major-General  Butler  about  recruiting 
and  raising  Regiments  in  Massachusetts 216-282 


CHAPTER  VI. 

The  Campaign  of  1862  —  Meeting  of  the  Legislature  —  Ex-Governor 
Clifford  elected  President  of  the  Senate  —  His  Speech  —  Alexander  H. 
Bullock  elected  Speaker  of  the  House  —  Speech  of  Mr.  Bullock  — 
Of  Caleb  Gushing  —  Proceedings  of  the  Legislature  —  Abstracts  of 
Military  Laws  passed  —  Massachusetts  Prisoners  in  Richmond  — 
Clothing  sent  —  Letter  from  Adjutant  Pierson  —  Expedition  of  Gen 
eral  Burnside  —  Capture  of  Roanoke  Island  —  Massachusetts  Troops 
first  to  land  —  Care  of  the  Sick  and  Wounded  —  Dr.  Hitchcock  sent 
on  —  The  Wounded  in  New  York  — Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe  — 
Establishment  of  the  New-England  Rooms  —  Care  of  the  Sick  and 
Wounded  —  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  —  The  Wounded  at  Williams- 
burg —  Letters  of  Colonel  Howe  — Every  Assistance  given  —  The 
Agencies  of  the  State  for  the  Care  of  the  Men  —  The  Office  in  Wash 
ington—Colonel  Gardiner  Tufts,  Mrs.  Jennie  L.  Thomas,  Robert  C. 
Corson,  William  Robinson,  appointed  Agents  —  Visits  of  the  Adju 
tant-General,  Colonel  Ritchie,  and  Colonel  John  Q.  Adams,  to  the 
Front  —  Report  to  the  Governor — The  Appearance  of  Washington 

—  Reports  of  Edward  S.  Rand  and  Dr.  Bowditch  —  First  Massachu 
setts  Cavalry  at  Hilton  Head  —  Our  Troops  in  North  Carolina  —  Ap 
pointment  of  Allotment   Commissioners  —  Their  Valuable  Services 

—  Letters  of  the  Governor  —  Rule  for  making  Appointments  —  Illegal 
Recruiting  —  Colonel     Dudley  —  Thirtieth     Regiment  —  Captured 
Rebel  Flags  —  Death  and  Burial  of  General  Lander  —  Letters  of  Gov 
ernor  to  Secretary  of  War  —  Secretary  of  the  Navy  —  To  the  Presi 
dent  on  Various  Subjects  —  Letter  to  General  Burnside  —  Secretary 
Chase  —  The  Retreat  of  General  Banks  —  Great  Excitement  —  Troops 
sent  forward  —  Militia  called  out  —  The  Position  of  our  Regiments  — 

The  War  in  Earnest  .  .     283-337 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Recruiting  for  the  New  Regiments  —  The  Position  of  the  Armies  in  the 
Field — Letters  from  the  Adjutant-General  to  Different  Persons  — 
Establishment  of  Camps  —  Departure  of  New  Regiments  —  Recruits 
for  Old  Regiments  —  Letter  to  Secretary  Seward  —  Suggestions 
adopted  —  Foreign  Recruits  —  Letter  to  General  Couch  —  Deserters 

—  Want  of  Mustering  Officers  —  Letter  from  General  Hooker — Our 
Sick  and  Wounded  —  Letter  to  General  McClellan— General  Fitz- 
John  Porter  —  Call  for  Nineteen  Thousand  Soldiers  for  Nine  Months 

—  Appointment  of  Major  Rogers  — Preparing  for  a  Draft  —  Militia 


CONTENTS.  xi 

Volunteers  —  Letter  to  the  President — Great  Activity  in  Recruiting 

—  Liberality  of  John  M.  Forbes  —  Colonel  Maggi  —  Town  Authorities 
ask  Civilians  to  be  commissioned  —  First  Attempt  to  raise  Colored 
Troops  —  Letter  to  Hon.  J.  G.  Abbott  —  Recommends  Merchants  and 
Others  to  devote  Half  of  each  Day  to  Recruiting  —  Hardship  to  Sea 
board  Towns  —  Attempt  to  have  Credits  allowed  for  Men  in  the  Navy 

—  Difficulties  —  Earnest  Letter  —  Surgeons   sent  forward  —  Several 
Recommendations  —  Battle  of  Antietam  —  Dr.  Hitchcock  sent  forward 

—  His  Report  —  Affairs  at  the  Front  —  Recruiting  Brisk  —  Republican 
Convention  —  Sharp  Debate  —  Nominations  —  People's    Convention 

—  General  Devens  nominated  for  Governor  —  Speeches  —  Letter  to 
General  Dix  —  Contrabands  —  Complaints  —  Quotas   filled  —  Depar 
ture  of  Regiments  —  Invasion  of  Texas  —  Major  Burt — State  Ap 
pointments,  &c 338-390 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  Proclamation  of  Freedom — Colored  Regiments  —  Letter  to  Samuel 
Hooper— ^'The  California  Battalion  —  Meeting  of  the  Legislature, 
January,  1863 — Organization  —  Address  of  the  Governor — Delay  of 
the  Government  in  paying  the  Soldiers  —  The  Commission  of  Mr. 
Crowninshield  —  His  Claim  not  allowed  —  Reports  of  the  Adjutant, 
Surgeon,  and  Quartermaster  Generals  —  Abstract  of  Military  Laws 

—  Letter  to  Hon.  Thomas  D.  Eliot  —  Western  Sanitary  Commission 

—  Confidential  Letter  to  General  Hooker  —  Efforts  to  reinstate  Major 
Copeland  —  The   Pirate    "  Alabama  "  —  Curious    Coincidence  —  Au 
thority  to  recruit  a   Colored  Regiment  —  The  Governor's  Policy  in 
the   Selection  of  Officers  —  Colonel   Shaw  —  The  Passage   of  the 
Fifty-fourth   (colored)    Regiment   through    Boston  —  Departure  for 
South  Carolina —  Death  of  Colonel  Shaw  at  Fort  Wagner  —  Letter  of 
the  Governor  to  Captain  Sherman  —  Letter  to  General  Hamilton,  of 
Texas  — Major  Burt  —  Plan  to  invade  Texas  — Mortality  of  Massa 
chusetts  Regiments  in  Louisiana  —  War  Steamers  —  Rights  of  Col 
ored  Soldiers  —  Temperance  —  General  Ullman's  Expedition  —  Coast 
Defences  —  General  Wilde  —  John  M.  Forbes  writes  from  London  — 
Colonel  Ritchie  —  A  Rebel  Letter  —  Robert  C.  Winthrop  —  Letter  to 
Mr.  Gooch,  M.C.  —  Army  Officers  in  Boston — Cases  of  Suffering  — 
Useless  Detail  of  Volunteer  Officers  —  Letter  to  General  Wool  —  Sug 
gestions  about  Recruiting  —  About  Deserters — Staff  Appointments 

—  Complaints  —  Nine  Months'  Men  —  Letter  to  J.  H.  Mitchell,  Mas 
sachusetts  Senate  —  Claims  for  Money  in  the  Legislature  —  Case  of 
Mr.  Maxwell,  of  Charlemont  —  Sergeant  Plunkett,  of  the  Twenty- 
first  Regiment  —  Soldiers  to  be  shot  —  Troubles  in  the  Department 

of  the  Gulf,  &c .     391-440 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Military  Condition  —  Reverses  and  Successes  of  the  Union  Arms 

—  Service  and  Return  Home  of  the  Nine  Months'  Regiments  —  List 


xii  CONTENTS. 

of  Casualties  —Deserters  — The  July  Riot  in  Boston  — Prompt  Ac 
tion— An  Abstract  of  the  Orders— Alarm  in  other  Cities  — The 
Attack  in  Cooper  Street  —  The  Eleventh  Battery  —  The  Word  to  fire 

—  The  Riot  suppressed  —  The  Draft  —  Appointment  of  Provost-Mar- 
Xshals  — The  Fifty-fifth  Colored  Regiment  —  Letters  from  Secretary 

Stanton  —  Injustice  to  the  Colored  Troops  —  Letters  of  the  Govern 
or  on  the  Subject  —  Difficulties  with  the  Draft  —  Major  Blake  sent 
to  Washington  —  Request  to  allow  Bounties  to  Drafted  Men  refused 

—  John   M.   Forbes  in   Washington  —  Letters   to   the    Governor  — 
Heavy  Ordnance  —  Colonel   Lowell  —  The   Attack   on   Wagner  — 
Death  of  Colonel  Shaw —  Instances  of  Bravery  on  the  Part  of  Colored 
Troops  — Letters  to  General  Dix  —  Troops  for  Coast  Defence —  Gov 
ernor  writes  to  Governor  of  Ohio — Formation  of  Veteran  Regiment 

—  Massachusetts  Militia  —  Letters  to  Colonel  Lee  —  Colored  Cavalry 

—  Letter  of  Secretary  Stanton  —  Confidential  Letter  on  the  Exposed 
Condition  of  the  Coast — Telegraph  Communication  with  the  Forts 

—  Letters  to  Senator  Sumner — Exact  Condition  of  the  Defences  — 
Letter  of  the  Adjutant-General — Reports  of  General  William  Ray 
mond  Lee  — Colonel   Ritchie   sent  to  England  —  Democratic  State 
Convention  —  Republican  State  Convention  —  Re-election  of  Govern 
or  Andrew  —  The  President  calls  for  Three  Hundred  Thousand  more 
Volunteers  —  Extra  Session  of  the  Legislature  called  —  Governor's 
Address  —  Bounties  increased  —  Abstract  of  Laws 441-506 

CHAPTER  X. 

The  Military  Camps  in  Massachusetts  —  Number  of  Troops  Jan.  1,  1864 

—  Where   Serving  —  Letter  of  Governor  to  Lewis  Hay  den  —  From 
Miss  Upham  —  Soldier's  Scrap-book  —  Letter  to   Samuel  Hooper  — 
Sale  of  Heavy  Ordnance  —  The  Condition  of  our  Defences  —  Colo 
nel  Ritchie  in  England  —  Meeting  of  the  Legislature —  Organization 

—  Addresses  of  Mr.  Field  and  Colonel  Bullock  —  Address  of  the  Gov 
ernor —  Eloquent  Extract — Abstract  of  Military  Laws  —  Members  of 
Congress  —  Letter  to  John  B.  Alley  —  The  Springfield  Companies  — 
Secretary  Stanton  refuses  to  pay  them  Bounties  —  Correspondence  in 
Regard  to  it  —  Letters  from  General  Butler  —  Governor  to  Miss  Up 
ham  —  Complaints   about    Soldiers    at    Long    Island  —  Re-enlisted 
Veterans  —  Order  of  War  Department  —  Returns  of  Veteran  Regi 
ments  —  Their   Reception  —  Letter   to    General   Hancock  —  General 
Burnside  reviews  the  Troops  at  Readville  —  Letter  to  the  Christian 
Watchman  —  General  Andrews  —  Surgeon-General   Dale  —  Confed 
erate  Money  —  Letter  from  General  Gordon  —  Battle  of  Olustee  — 
Letter  to   Selectmen   of  Plymouth  —  A  Second  Volume   of  Scrap- 
book —  Letter  from   Mr.  Lovejoy — Lieutenant-Colonel  Whittemore 

—  Correspondence  —  The  Heavy  Artillery  —  Condition  of  Fort  War 
ren —  Misunderstanding — Secretary   Stanton  and  the  Governor  — 
Colonel    William   F.  Bartlett  —  His  Promotion  —  Earnest  Letter  to 
Mr.   Sumner  —  Troubles  about  Recruiting — Complaints  made  —  A 
Convention  held  —  Letter  of  the  Adjutant- General  —  The  Recruiting 
of  New  Regiments  —  Forwarded  to  the   Front  —  The   Advance   of 
General  Grant  .  ,     507-55U 


CONTENTS.  xiii 

CHAPTER  XI. 

General  Position  of  Affairs  at  the  Beginning  of  1864  —  Credits  in  the 
Navy  —  Law  of  Congress  —  Appointment  of  Commissioners  —  Cir 
cular  Letter — Agents  to  Recruit  in  Rebel  States  —  Letter  to  Mr. 
Everett  —  Governor  Andrew  in  Washington  —  Pay  of  Colored  Troops 

—  Letter  to  the  President  —  Letter  to  Mr.  Stanton  —  Expectation  of 
Rebel  Attack  on  our  Coast  —  Present  of  a  Turtle  —  Brigadier-General 
Bartlett —  Letter  to  Governor  Seymour,  of  New  York — Letter  to  the 
Secretary  of  War — Letter  to  the  Attorney-General  —  Letter  to  An 
drew  Ellison  —  Colonel  N.  A.  M.  Dudley  —  Letter  of  Governor  Yates, 
of  Illinois  —  Case  of  Otis  Newhall,  of  Lynn —  Case  of  Mrs.  Bixby,  of 
Boston  —  Letter  to  the  President  —  Plan  to  burn  the  Northern  Cities 

—  Speech  of  Mr.  Everett  —  Destruction  of  the  "  Alabama  "  —  Honors 
paid  to  Commodore  Winslow  —  Donations  for  our  Soldiers  —  Letter 
of  Mr.   Stebbins  —  Letter  to  the  Union  League  Club,  New  York  — 
Colored  Officers  — Letter  to  James  A.  Hamilton  — Battle  before  Nash 
ville  —  Case  of  Jack  Flowers  —  National  Conventions  —  Nominations 

—  Republican    State   Convention  —  Proceedings  —  Renomination   of 
Governor  Andrew  —  Democratic  State  Convention  —  Nominations  — 
Report  of  the  Adjutant-General's  Journey  to  the  Front — Staff  Ap 
pointments  during  the  Year  —  Conclusion 560-608 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Public  Confidence  —  Meeting  of  the  Legislature  —  Organization  —  Ad 
dress  of  Governor  Andrew  —  Acts  passed  by  the  Legislature  — 
General  Sargent  —  Death  of  Edward  Everett  —  Frontier  Cavalry 

—  Governor  and  Secretary  Stanton  —  Abolition  of  Slavery  —  Boston 
Harbor  —  Fast  Day  —  Currency  Question  — Proclamation  of  President 
Lincoln  —  Case  of  a  Deserter  —  Letter  from    Secretary  Seward  — 
Foreign  Enlistments  —  The  End  of  the  Rebellion  —  Capitulation  of 
General  Lee  —  Rejoicings  throughout  the  State — Governor   sends 
a  Message  to  the  Legislature  —  Meeting  in  Faneuil  Hall  —  Proposi 
tion  for  a  National  Thanksgiving  —  Death  of  President  Lincoln  —  Ac 
tion  of  the  Legislature  —  Governor's  Letter  to  Mrs.  Lincoln —  Original 
Copy  of  General  Lee's  Farewell  Address,  sent  to  the  Governor  by 
General  Russell  —  Death  of  General  Russell —  Monument  to  the  First 
Martyrs  in  Lowell  —  Address  of  the  Governor  —  Letter  to  F.  P.  Blair, 
Sen.  —  Meeting  at  Faneuil  Hall  —  Letter  of  the  Governor  —  Recon 
struction —  Colonel  William  S.  Lincoln  —  Memorial   Celebration   at 
Harvard  —  Letter  to   Mr.    Motley,  Minister  to   Austria — Miss  Van 
Lew  —  Alexander  H.   Stephens  —  Governor  to  President  Lincoln  — 
Relics   of  Colonel   Shaw  —  Letter   to   Colonel   Theodore   Lyman  — 
State   Prisoners   in   Maryland  —  Letter  to  James   Freeman    Clarke 

—  Freedman's  Bureau —  Emigration  South  —  Letter  to  General  Sher 
man —  Governor's  Staff  —  Governor  declines  Re-election  —  Republi 
can  Convention  —  Democratic  Convention  —  Reception  of  the  Flags 

—  Forefathers'  Day  —  Speech  of  General  Couch  — Speech  of  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  —  Compliment   to    the   Adjutant-General  —  General 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Grant  visits  Massachusetts  —  Mrs.  Harrison  Gray  Otis  —  Her  Services 

—  New-England  Women's  Auxiliary  Association  —  What   it   did  — 
New-England   Rooms,  New  York  —  Massachusetts  Soldiers'  Fund  — 
Boston  Soldiers'  Fund  —  Surgeon-General's  Fund  —  Number  of  Men 
sent  from  Massachusetts  to  the  War — Governor  Andrew's  Valedic 
tory  Address  —  Governor  Bullock  inaugurated  —  Last  Military  Order 

—  Close  of  the  Chapter 609-G70 


CIVIL    AND     MILITARY    HISTORY 


MASSACHUSETTS     IN     THE    KEBELLION. 


CIVIL    AND    MILITARY    HISTOEY 


MASSACHUSETTS     IN    THE    EEBELLIOK 


CHAPTER    I. 

Massachusetts  —  Civil  Government  —  Election,  1860  —  Legislature  —  President 
of  the  Senate  —  Speaker  of  the  House  —  State  of  the  Country  —  Farewell 
Address  of  Governor  Banks  —  Governor  Andrew's  Inaugural  —  Their  Views 
of  the  Crisis  —  Sketch  of  Governor  Andrew  —  Lieutenant-Governor  —  Execu 
tive  Council  —  Adjutant-General  —  Military  Staff — Congressmen  —  The  Vol 
unteer  Militia  —  Military  Equipment  —  Early  Preparations  —  Salutes,  8th  of 
January  —  General  Order  No.  2  —  Report  of  Adjutant-General  —  General 
Order  No.  4  —  Proceedings  of  the  Legislature  —  Regular  Session  —  Emer 
gency  Fund  —  Loan  Credit  of  State  —  Delegates  to  Peace  Convention  —  South 
Carolina  to  Massachusetts  —  Two  thousand  Overcoats  —  Order  of  Inquiry  — 
Letter  of  Adjutant-General — Letter  of  Colonel  Henry  Lee,  Jr.  —  Meeting  of 
Officers  in  Governor's  Room  —  Colonel  Ritchie  sent  to  Washington  —  His  Let 
ters  to  the  Governor  —  Secretary  Seward's  Letter  —  Letter  of  Colonel  Lee  — 
Charter  of  Transports — John  M.  Forbes,  Esq.  —  Meeting  in  Faneuil  Hall  — 
Meeting  in  Cambridge  —  Speech  of  Wendell  Phillips,  Esq.,  at  New  Bedford 
—  Remarks  —  The  President  calls  for  Troops —  The  Eve  of  Battle. 

To  write  the  part  taken  by  Massachusetts  in  the  civil  war  which 
began  in  April,  1861,  and  continued  until  the  capture,  by  Gen 
eral  Grant,  of  Lee  and  his  army  in  Virginia,  and  the  surrender 
of  Johnston  and  his  forces  to  General  Sherman  in  North  Caro 
lina,  in  1865,  requires  patient  research,  a  mind  not  distracted 
by  other  duties,  and  a  purpose  to  speak  truthfully  of  men  and 
of  events.  Massachusetts  bore  a  prominent  part  in  this  war, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  end ;  not  only  in  furnishing  soldiers 
for  the  army,  sailors  for  the  navy,  and  financial  aid  to  the 
Government,  but  in  advancing  ideas,  which,  though  scouted 

1 


IN  THE  REBELLION. 


at  in  the  early  months  of  the  war,  were  afterwards  accepted 
by  the  nation,  before  the  war  could  be  brought  to  a  successful 
end. 

Massachusetts  is  a  small  State,  in  territory  and  in  population. 
With  the  exception  of  Maine,  it  lies  the  farthest  eastward  of 
all  the  States  in  the  Union.  Its  capital  is  four  hundred  and 
fifty  miles  east  of  Washington,  and  is  separated  from  it  by  the 
States  of  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  and  Maryland.  It  contains  seven 
thousand  eight  hundred  square  miles  of  land,  river,  lakes,  and 
sea.  In  1860,  it  had  a  population  of  1,231,066,  engaged  in 
farming,  manufacturing,  fishing,  and  mercantile  pursuits.  Less 
than  one-half  the  land  is  improved.  It  is  about  ^^  part  of  the 
whole  Union,  ranking  the  thirty-sixth  in  size  among  the  forty 
States  and  Territories.  It  is  divided  into  fourteen  counties, 
and  three  hundred  and  thirty-five  cities  and  towns.  Its  gov 
ernor,  lieutenant-governor,  eight  councillors,  forty  senators, 
and  two  hundred  and  forty  representatives,  are  elected  every 
year,  in  the  month  of  November,  by  the  free  suffrage  of  the 
qualified  voters. 

The  executive  department  of  the  Government  is  vested  in  the 
governor  and  Executive  Council,  — the  governor,  however,  be 
ing  the  supreme  executive  magistrate,  whose  title  is,  His 
Excellency;  the  legislative,  in  a  Senate  and  House  of  Rep 
resentatives,  each  having  a  negative  upon  the  other,  and  known 
and  designated  as  the  General  Court.  The  judicial  depart 
ment  is  composed  of  different  courts,  the  judges  of  which  are 
appointed  by  the  governor,  and  hold  their  offices  during  good 
behavior,  and  can  only  be  removed  upon  the  address  of  both 
houses  of  the  Legislature,  or  by  the  abolishment  of  the  court ; 
this  to  "  the  end,  that  it  may  be  a  government  of  laws,  and  not 
of  men." 

In  the  election  for  governor,  in  1860,  there  were  four  candi 
dates  and  four  political  parties.  John  A.  Andrew,  of  Boston, 
was  the  candidate  of  the  Republicans  ;  Erasmus  D.  Beach,  of 
Springfield,  of  the  Douglas  wing  of  the  Democrats  ;  Amos  A. 
Lawrence,  of  Boston,  of  the  conservative  party ;  and  Benjamin 
F.  Butler,  of  Lowell,  of  the  Breckenridge  wing  of  the  Demo- 


ELECTION,    1860. LEGISLATURE.  3 

cratic  party.  John  A.  Andrew  received  104,527  votes ; 
Erasmus  D.  Beach,  35,191;  Amos  A.  Lawrence,  23,816; 
Benjamin  F.  Butler,  6,000;  all  others,  75.  Mr.  Andrew's 
majority  over  all  the  opposing  candidates  was  39,445. 

The  eight  councillors  elected  were  all  Republicans,  as  were  all 
the  members  of  Congress.  The  presidential  electors  in  favor 
of  the  election  of  Abraham  Lincoln  and  Hannibal  Hamlin,  for 
President  and  Yice-President  of  the  United  States,  received 
about  the  same  majority  Mr.  Andrew  did  for  Governor. 
Nearly  all  of  the  members  of  the  Senate  and  House  of  Repre 
sentatives  were  of  the  Republican  party. 

The  newly  elected  Legislature  met  on  the  first  Wednesday  in 
January,  1861.  Hon.  William  Claflin,  of  Newton,  was  chosen 
President  of  the  Senate,  and  Stephen  N.  Gifford,  Esq.,  of  Dux- 
bury,  clerk.  Hon.  John  A.  Goodwin,  of  Lowell,  was  chosen 
Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  William  Stowe, 
Esq.,  of  Springfield,  clerk. 

On  assuming  the  duties  of  President  of  the  Senate,  Mr.  Claf 
lin  made  a  brief  address,  in  the  course  of  which  he  said,  — 

"  While  we  meet  under  circumstances  auspicious  in  our  own  State, 
a  deep  agitation  pervades  other  parts  of  our  country,  causing  every  true 
patriot  to  feel  the  greatest  anxiety.  Disunion  is  attempted  in  some 
States,  because,  as  is  alleged,  laws  have  been  passed  in  others  con 
trary  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States.  Massachusetts  is 
accused  of  unfaithfulness  in  this  matter  in  some  of  her  enactments, 
although  she  has  always  been  ready  to  submit  to  judicial  decisions,  and 
is  so  still.  She  has  ever  guarded  jealously  the  liberties  of  her  citizens, 
and,  I  trust,  ever  will.  We  cannot  falter  now  without  disgrace  and  dis 
honor.  '  Whatever  action  we  may  take,  let  us  be  careful  of  the  rights 
of  others,  but  faithful  to  our  trust,  that  we  may  return  them  to  our 
constituents  unimpaired." 

Mr.  Goodwin,  on  taking  the  Speaker's  chair,  referred  to 
national  affairs  in  the  following  words  :  — 

"  The  session  before  us  may  become  second  in  importance  to  none 
that  has  been  held  in  these  halls,  since,  threescore  years  ago,  our  fathers 
consecrated  them  to  popular  legislation.  For  the  second  time  in  our 
history,  we  see  a  State  of  our  Union  setting  at  naught  the  common 
compact,  and  raising  the  hand  of  remorseless  violence  against  a  whole 
section  of  her  sister  States,  and  against  the  Union  itself.  But  for 


4  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

the  first  time  in  our  history  are  unrebuked  traitors  seen  in  the  high 
places  of  the  nation,  where,  with  undaunted  front,  they  awe  into  trea 
sonable  inaction  the  hand  the  people  have  solemnly  deputed  to  hold 
the  scales  of  justice,  and  wield  her  imperial  sword.  To  what  points 
this  ignominious  crisis  may  compel  our  legislative  attention,  cannot  now 
be  stated ;  nor  is  it  for  the  Chair  to  allude  to  particular  measures  of 
legislation.  But  it  is  to  be  remembered,  that  Massachusetts  sacrificed 
much  to  establish  the  Union,  and  to  defend  and  perpetuate  it.  She  is 
ready  to  sacrifice  more,  provided  it  touch  not  her  honor  or  the  princi 
ples  of  free  government,  —  principles  interwoven  with  her  whole  his 
tory,  and  never  dearer  to  the  hearts  of  her  people  of  all  classes  and 
parties  than  they  are  to-day.  Let  us  approach  this  portion  of  our  du 
ties  with  coolness  and  deliberation,  and  with  a  generous  patriotism." 

Not  since  the  days  of  the  Eevolution  had  a  legislature  assem 
bled  at  a  time  of  more  imminent  peril,  when  wise  counsels,  firm 
resolution,  and  patriotic  devotion  to  the  Constitution  and  the 
Union,  were  imperatively  demanded.  James  Buchanan  was 
still  President  of  the  United  States  ;  Floyd  was  Secretary  of 
War;  Cobb,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury;  Thompson,  Secretary 
of  the  Interior ;  and  Toucey,  who,  although  a  New-England 
man,  was  believed  to  sympathize  with  the  South,  Secretary  of 
the  Navy.  John  C.  Breckenridge  was  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States,  and  presided  over  the  deliberations  of  the  Senate, 
of  which  Jefferson  Davis,  Judah  P.  Benjamin,  John  Slidell, 
James  M.  Mason,  and  Robert  Toombs  were  members  ;  all  of 
whom  proved  traitors  to  the  Government,  were  plotting  daily 
and  nightly  to  effect  its  overthrow,  and  to  prevent  the  inaugura 
tion  of  Abraham  Lincoln  on  the  fourth  of  March.  South  Caro 
lina  had  already  voted  itself  out  of  the  Union,  and  had  assumed 
a  hostile  front  to  the  Union  garrison  in  Fort  Sumter,  in  Charles 
ton  harbor.  Other  Southern  States  had  called  conventions  to 
consider  what  steps  they  should  take  in  the  emergency  which  had 
been  precipitated  upon  them  by  the  South-Carolina  secession 
ordinance.  Our  navy  was  scattered  over  far-off  seas,  the  United- 
States  arsenals  were  stripped  of  arms  by  orders  from  the 
Secretary  of  War,  and  the  treasury  of  the  General  Government 
was  well-nigh  depleted  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

The  debates  in  Congress  were  warm  and  exciting.  The 
speeches  of  the  disunionists  were  rank  with  treason.  The  power 


STATE    OF    THE    COUNTRY.  5 

of  the  North  to  prevent,  by  armed  force,  the  South  from  seced 
ing  was  sneered  at  and  derided.  Some  of  the  Republicans  in 
Congress  replied  with  equal  warmth  and  animation  to  the 
threats  of  the  Southern  men ;  others  counselled  moderation, 
and  expressed  a  hope  that  the  difficulties  which  threatened  our 
peace  might  yet  be  adjusted.  Prominent  among  those  who 
expressed  these  views  were  Mr.  Adams,  of  Massachusetts,  and 
Mr.  Seward,  of  New  York.  To  gain  time  was  a  great  point,  — 
time  to  get  Mr.  Buchanan  and  his  Cabinet  out  of  power  and  out 
of  Washington,  and  to  get  Mr.  Lincoln  and  his  new  Cabinet  into 
power  and  into  Washington.  I  have  good  reason  to  believe, 
that  neither  of  the  distinguished  statesmen  whom  I  have  named 
had  a  full  belief  that  an  appeal  to  arms  could,  for  a  great  length 
of  time,  be  avoided  ;  but  they  felt,  that,  when  it  did  come,  it 
was  all  important  that  the  Government  should  be  in  the  hands 
of  its  friends,  and  not  of  its  enemies.  They  argued,  that,  if  the 
clash  of  arms  could  be  put  off  until  the  inauguration  of  the  new 
President  on  the  fourth  of  March,  the  advantage  to  the  Union 
side  would  be  incalculable.  It  was  wise  strategy,  as  well  as  able 
statesmanship,  so  to  guide  the  debates  as  to  accomplish  this  great 
purpose ;  and  to  these  two  gentlemen  acting  in  concert,  one  in 
the  Senate  and  the  other  in  the  House,  are  we,  in  a  great  de 
gree,  indebted  for  the  wise  delay.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  inaugu 
rated,  and  the  Union  ship  of  state  was  fairly  launched,  not 
indeed  with  fair  winds  and  a  clear  sky,  but  with  stout  hands 
and  wise  heads  to  guide  her  course ;  and  after  long  years  of 
terrible  disaster,  and  amid  obstacles  which  at  times  appeared 
insurmountable,  finally  weathered  them  all,  and  was  brought 
safely  to  a  peaceful  haven. 

Hon.  Nathaniel  P.  Banks  was  Governor  of  Massachusetts 
the  three  years  immediately  preceding  the  election  and  inaugura 
tion  of  John  A.  Andrew.  His  administration  had  been  highly 
successful  and  popular.  He  had  met  public  expectation  on  every 
point.  Many  important  measures  had  been  passed  during  his 
term ;  and,  upon  retiring  from  office,  he  deemed  it  proper 
"  to  present  to  the  Legislature  a  statement  of  the  condition  of 
public  aifairs,  with  such  considerations  as  his  experience  might 
suggest ;  "  and  enforced  this  departure  from  the  course  pursued 


6  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

by  his  predecessors  in  the  gubernatorial  office,  with  many 
cogent  reasons.  He  delivered  his  valedictory  address  on  the 
3d  of  January,  1861,  in  which  he  gave  a  review  of  the  legis 
lation,  and  a  statement  of  the  finances  of  the  State  for  the  three 
years  during  which  he  had  been  the  chief  executive  officer. 

It  is  my  purpose  to  speak  upon  but  two  of  the  topics  dis 
cussed  in  the  address,  which  have  a  direct  bearing  on  the  war 
which  was  so  soon  to  open,  and  in  which  Governor  Banks  was 
to  take  a  prominent  part,  as  a  major-general  in  the  Union 
army. 

The  Legislature  of  1858  had  passed  what  was  known  as  an 
act  for  the  protection  of  personal  liberty.  It  was  intended  to 
mitigate  the  harsh  and  unjust  provisions  of  the  act  of  Congress 
passed  in  1850,  known  as  the  Fugitive-slave  Law.  Several 
persons,  held  in  the  South  as  slaves,  had  made  their  way  to 
Massachusetts ;  and,  being  afterwards  arrested,  had  been  re 
turned  to  their  masters.  The  entire  provisions  of  that  act  were 
abhorrent  to  our  people,  notwithstanding  its  friends  and  support 
ers  claimed  for  it  an  exact  conformity  to  the  provisions  of  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States. 

The  opinion  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
pronounced  by  Judge  Story,  himself  a  Massachusetts  man, 
declared  that  the  Constitution  contemplated  the  existence  of  "  a 
positive,  unqualified  right,  on  the  part  of  the  owner  of  the 
slave,  which  no  State  law  or  regulation  can  in  any  way  qualify, 
regulate,  control,  or  restrain."  This  opinion  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  Governor  Banks  said,  "has  been  approved  by  the  Legis 
lature  of  this  State,  and  confirmed  by  its  Supreme  Judicial 
Court."  He  then  invited  the  attention  of  the  Legislature  to 
the  sections  of  the  State  act  relating  to  the  writ  of  habeas  corpus 
and  the  State  act  for  the  protection  of  personal  liberty,  which  he 
thought  conflicted  with  the  act  of  Congress  regarding  fugitive 
slaves  ;  and  said.  "  It  is  not  my  purpose  to  defend  the  constitu 
tionality  of  the  Fugitive-slave  Act.  The  omission  of  a  provision 
for  jury  trial,  however  harsh  and  cruel,  cannot  in  any  event  be 
supplied  by  State  legislation.  While  I  am  constrained  to  doubt 
the  right  of  this  State  to  enact  such  laws,  I  do  not  admit  that, 
in  any  just  sense,  it  is  a  violation  of  the  national  compact.  It  is 


only  when  unconstitutional  legislation  is  enforced  by  executive 
authority,  that  it  assumes  that  character,  and  no  such  result  has 
occurred  in  this  State." 

He  then  remarked,  that  Massachusetts  had  given  unimpeach 
able  evidence  of  her  devotion  to  law  ;  and  it  was  because  she  had 
been  faithful  that  he  wished  to  see  her  legislation  in  harmony 
with  her  acts.  "  It  is  because  I  do  not  like  to  see  her  representa 
tives  in  Congress,  and  her  sons  everywhere,  put  upon  the  defen 
sive  when  they  have  just  cause  to  be  proud  of  her  loyalty ;  .  .  . 
it  is  because,  in  the  face  of  her  just  claims  to  high  honor,  I  do 
not  love  to  hear  unjust  reproaches  cast  upon  her  fame,  —  that  I 
say,  as  I  do,  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  with  a  heart  filled 
with  the  responsibilities  that  must  rest  upon  every  American  cit 
izen  in  these  distempered  times,  I  cannot  but  regard  the  mainte 
nance  of  a  statute,  although  it  may  be  within  the  extremest 
limits  of  constitutional  power,  which  is  so  unnecessary  to  the 
public  service  and  so  detrimental  to  the  public  peace,  as  an 
inexcusable  public  wrong.  I  hope,  by  common  consent,  it  may 
be  removed  from  the  statute-book,  and  such  guaranties  as  indi 
vidual  freedom  demands  be  sought  in  new  legislation." 

I  have  referred  to  these  matters  because  they  were  prominent 
pretexts,  made  by  the  disunion  party  to  justify  a  dissolution  of 
the  Union.  The  State  acts  named  were  condemned  by  many  of 
our  wisest  men,  who  never  had  a  thought  unfriendly  to  the  Union, 
nor  would,  by  their  acts  or  votes,  sanction  the  existence  of 
human  slavery,  or  extend  the  area  of  its  domain.  The  views 
of  Governor  Banks  at  this  time  are  also  important  and  inter 
esting  as  in  contrast  to  those  expressed,  a  few  days  after,  in  the 
inaugural  address  of  Governor  Andrew. 

Governor  Banks,  in  concluding  his  address,  referred  in  direct 
terms  to  the  secession  ordinance  of  South  Carolina,  and  said, 
"  While  I  would  not  withhold  from  the  South  what  belongs  to 
that  section,  I  cannot  consent  that  we  should  yield  what  belongs 
to  us.  The  right  to  the  Territories,  so  far  as  the  people  are 
concerned,  must  be  a  common  right ;  and  their  status  should 
be  determined  upon  the  rights  of  men,  and  not  upon  privileges 
of  property."  He  was  opposed  to  founding  government  upon 
the  right  to  hold  slaves.  "There  is  no  species  of  property 


8  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

entitled  to  such  protection  as  will  exclude  men  from  Territories, 
aside  from  all  considerations  of  property.  Neither  do  I  believe 
that  a  geographical  line  will  give  peace  to  the  country.  The 
lapse  of  time  alone  will  heal  all  dissensions.  There  can  be 
no  peaceable  secession  of  the  States.  The  Government  has 
pledged  its  faith  to  every  land,  and  that  pledge  of  faith  cannot 
be  broken."  He  drew  encouragement  from  the  thrill  of  joy 
which  touched  every  true  heart,  when  Major  Anderson  moved 
his  little  garrison  from  Fort  Moultrie  to  Fort  Sumter.  "  Cer 
tainly,  never  an  act,  so  slight  in  itself,  touched  the  hearts  of 
so  many  millions  of  people  like  fire  from  heaven,  as  the  recent 
simple,  soldier-like,  and  patriotic  movement  of  Major  Anderson 
at  Fort  Moultrie."  He  closed  this  part  of  his  address  with 
these  grand  words  :  "  But  no  such  result  can  follow  as  the  de 
struction  of  the  American  Government.  The  contest  will  be 
too  terrible,  the  sacrifice  too  momentous,  the  difficulties  in  our 
path  are  too  slight,  the  capacity  of  our  people  is  too  manifest, 
and  the  future  too  brilliant,  to  justify  forebodings,  or  to  excite 
permanent  fears.  The  life  of  every  man  is  lengthened  by 
trial ;  and  the  strength  of  every  government  must  be  tested 
by  revolt  and  revolution.  I  doubt  not  that  the  providence  of 
God,  that  has  protected  us  hitherto,  will  preserve  us  now  and 
hereafter." 

Throughout  the  entire  address  a  hopeful  feeling  prevailed. 
The  Governor  evidently  did  not  believe  that  we  were  so  nigh 
the  verge  of  civil  war.  He  made  no  recommendation  for  the 
increase  of  the  military  force  of  the  State,  or  to  prepare  that 
already  organized  for  active  service.  It  may  properly  be  said, 
however,  in  this  connection,  that  Governor  Banks,  upon  retiring 
from  office,  did  not  deem  it  in  good  taste  or  proper  to  recom 
mend  legislative  action  to  a  body  with  which  he  was  so  soon  to 
sever  all  official  connection. 

Shortly  after  retiring  from  the  gubernatorial  chair,  Governor 
Banks  made  arrangements  to  remove  to  Illinois,  having  accepted 
a  responsible  executive  position  in  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  ; 
but,  in  a  few  months,  the  country  required  his  services  as  a  mili 
tary  commander,  which  post  he  accepted,  and  continued  in  high 
command  until  the  end  of  the  war,  when  he  returned  to  Massa- 


GOVERNOR  ANDREW  INAUGURATED.  9 

chusetts,  and  was  elected  to  Congress  by  the  people  of  his  old 
district. 

John  A.  Andrew,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  was  inaugurated  Gov 
ernor  of  the  Commonwealth,  Jan.  5,  1861,  and  immediately 
delivered  his  address  to  the  Legislature,  in  which  he  gave  a 
statement  of  the  financial  condition  of  the  Commonwealth,  its 
liabilities,  and  its  resources  to  meet  them.  The  State  was 
practically  free  of  debt.  The  aggregate  valuation  of  taxable 
property  was  within  a  fraction  of  nine  hundred  millions,  a  com 
putation  of  which  had  been  made  by  a  special  committee 
appointed  for  the  purpose,  whose  labors  had  closed  on  the  1st 
of  January,  1861,  only  five  days  before  the  address  was  deliv 
ered.  After  asking  the  attention  of  the  Legislature  to  matters 
of  a  purely  local  character,  Governor  Andrew  devoted  the 
remainder  of  his  address  to  matters  of  more  general  interest. 
He  discussed  the  right  of  the  Legislature  to  pass  the  statutes 
concerning  personal  liberty  and  the  habeas  corpus,  and  con 
tended  that  Massachusetts  had  a  clear  right  to  pass  them ;  and 
that,  if  properly  understood  and  rightfully  carried  out,  there 
could  not  be  any  conflict  of  jurisdiction  between  the  State  and 
Federal  officers.  The  argument  upon  these  questions  extends 
through  nine  pages,  and  concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  Supposing,  however,  that  our  legislation  in  this  behalf  is  founded 
in  mistake,  the  Legislature  will  only  have  endeavored  to  perform  their 
duty  towards  the  citizens  whom  they  were  bound  to  shield  from  un 
lawful  harm.  The  power  to  obtain  the  judgment  of  the  court  affords 
ample  redress  to  all  claimants.  Should  a  critical  examination  disclose 
embarrassments  in  raising  and  reserving  questions  of  law  for  the  ap 
propriate  tribunals,  the  Legislature  will  readily  repair  the  error. 

"  In  dismissing  this  topic,  I  have  only  to  add,  that  in  regard,  not 
only  to  one,  but  to  every  subject  bearing  on  her  Federal  relations, 
Massachusetts  has  always  conformed  to  her  honest  understanding  of 
all  constitutional  obligations ;  that  she  has  always  conformed  to  the 
judicial  decisions ;  has  never  threatened  either  to  nullify  or  to  dis 
obey  ;  and  that  the  decision  of  one  suit,  fully  contested,  constitutes  a 
precedent  for  the  future." 

The  concluding  ten  pages  of  the  address  give  a  graphic,  con 
densed,  truthful,  and  eloquent  review  of  the  condition  of  the 


10  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

country,  of  the  danger  and  wickedness  of  a  civil  war,  and  of 
the  position  which  Massachusetts  and  her  great  statesmen  have 
always  held  in  regard  to  them.  He  said,  — 

"  Inspired  by  the  'same  ideas  and  emotions  which  commanded  the 
fraternization  of  Jackson  and  Webster  on  another  great  occasion  of 
public  danger,  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  confiding  in  the  patri 
otism  of  their  brethren  in  other  States,  accept  this  issue,  and  respond, 
in  the  words  of  Jackson,  '  The  Federal  Union  :  it  must  be  preserved  !  ' 

"  Until  we  complete  the  work  of  rolling  back  this  wave  of  rebel 
lion,  which  threatens  to  engulf  the  Government,  overthrow  demo 
cratic  institutions,  subject  the  people  to  the  rule  of  a  minority,  if  not 
of  mere  military  despotism,  and,  in  some  communities,  to  endanger 
the  very  existence  of  civilized  society,  we  cannot  turn  aside,  and  we 
will  not  turn  back.  It  is  to  those  of  our  brethren  in  the  disaffected 
States,  whose  mouths  are  closed  by  a  temporary  reign  of  terror,  not 
less  than  to  ourselves,  that  we  owe  this  labor,  which,  with  the  help 
of  Providence,  it  is  our  duty  to  perform. 

"  I  need  not  add,  that  whatever  rights  pertain  to  any  person  under 
the  Constitution  of  the  Union  are  secure  in  Massachusetts  while  the 
Union  shall  endure  ;  and  whatever  authority  or  function  pertains  to 
the  Federal  Government  for  the  maintenance  of  any  such  right  is 
an  authority  or  function  which  neither  the  Government  nor  the  people 
of  this  Commonwealth  can  or  would  usurp,  evade,  or  overthrow ; 
and  Massachusetts  demands,  and  has  a  right  to  demand,  that  her  sister 
States  shall  likewise  respect  the  constitutional  rights  of  her  citizens 
within  their  limits." 

I  have  given  these  extracts  from  the  addresses  of  Governors 
Banks  and  Andrew,  that  their  official  opinions  in  regard  to 
important  national  questions,  expressed  on  the  eve  of  a  great 
war,  might  be  made  fresh  in  the  memories  of  men.  Both  gen 
tlemen  expressed  the  true  sentiment  of  Massachusetts.  I  have 
taken  their  words  as  a  base  or  starting-point  to  begin  the  long, 
grand  story  of  Massachusetts  in  the  Rebellion. 

As  Governor  Andrew  was  at  the  head  of  the  State  Gov 
ernment  during  the  entire  period  of  the  war,  he  of  course  was 
and  ever  will  be  the  prominent,  central  figure  in  the  galaxy  of 
gentlemen,  civil  and  military,  who,  by  their  services  and  sacri 
fices,  gave  renown  to  the  Commonwealth,  and  carried  her  with 
imperishable  honor  through  the  conflict. 


SKETCH  OF  GOVERNOR  ANDREW.  11 

John  A.  Andrew  was  the  twenty-first  Governor  of  Massa 
chusetts  since  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  the  State  in 
1780.  He  was  born  at  Windham,  in  the  District  of  Maine, 
about  fifteen  miles  from  Portland,  on  the  31st  of  May,  1818. 
The  family  was  of  English  origin,  descending  from  Robert 
Andrew,  of  Rowley  village,  now  Boxford,  Essex  County,  Mass., 
who  died  there  in  1668.  He  was  connected  with  most 
of  the  ancient  families  of  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay. 
The  grandmother  of  Governor  Andrew  was  the  grand-daughter 
of  the  brave  Captain  William  Pickering,  who  commanded  the 
Province  Galley,  in  1707,  for  the  protection  of  the  fisheries 
against  the  French  and  Indians  ;  and  the  mother  of  her  hus 
band  was  Mary  Higginson,  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Reverend 
Francis  Higginson,  the  famous  pastor  of  the  first  church  in  the 
colony.  The  grandfather  of  Governor  Andrew  was  a  silver 
smith  in  Salem,  who  removed  to  Windham,  where  he  died. 
His  son  Jonathan  was  born  in  Salem,  and  lived  there  until 
manhood,  when  he  also  removed  to  Windham.  There  he 
married  Miss  Nancy  G.  Pierce,  formerly  preceptress  of  Frye- 
burg  Academy,  where  Daniel  Webster  was  once  a  teacher. 
These  were  the  parents  of  Governor  Andrew. 

At  an  early  age,  he  entered  Bowdoin  College,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1837.  He  then  removed  to  Bos 
ton,  and  entered,  as  a  law  student,  the  office  of  Henry  H. 
Fuller,  Esq.  Being  admitted  to  the  Suffolk  Bar  in  1840,  he 
commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  adhered  to  it 
without  interruption  until  his  election  as  Governor  in  1860, 
establishing  in  later  years  a  reputation  as  an  advocate  second  to 
no  lawyer  at  that  distinguished  bar  since  the  death  of  Rufus 
Choate.  Attractive  in  personal  appearance  and  bearing,  with 
an  excellent  flow  of  language  and  variety  of  expression,  and 
possessed  of  that  sympathetic  disposition  which  identifies  an 
advocate  in  feeling  and  in  action  with  the  cause  of  his  client, 
his  merits  were  eminent  as  an  advocate  before  juries ;  but  the 
causes  in  connection  with  which  his  reputation  as  a  lawyer 
had  become  chiefly  known  beyond  legal  circles,  were  those  of 
arguments  before  Massachusetts  courts,  and  the  United-States 
courts  for  the  district  and  circuit,  on  questions  of  political  sig- 


12  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    REBELLION. 

nificance.  He  defended  the  parties  indicted  in  1854,  for  an 
attempt  to  rescue  the  fugitive  slave  Burns,  and  succeeded  in 
quashing  the  indictments  on  which  they  were  arraigned.  The 
following  year,  he  successfully  defended  the  British  consul  at 
Boston  against  a  charge  of  violating  the  neutrality  laws  of 
the  United  States  during  the  Crimean  War.  In  1856,  co 
operating  with  counsel  from  Ohio,  he  made  a  noted  appli 
cation  to  Judge  Curtis,  of  the  United-States  Supreme  Court, 
for  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  to  test  the  authority  by  which  the 
Free-State  prisoners  were  held  confined  in  Kansas  by  Federal 
officers.  More  lately,  in  1859,  he  initiated  and  directed  the 
measures  to  procure  suitable  counsel  for  the  defence  of  John 
Brown  in  Virginia ;  and,  in  1860,  was  counsel  for  Hyatt  and 
Sanborn,  witnesses  summoned  before  Senator  Mason's  commit 
tee  of  investigation  into  the  John-Brown  affair.  Upon  his  argu 
ment,  the  latter  was  discharged  by  the  Supreme  Court  of 
Massachusetts  from  the  custody  of  the  United-States  marshal, 
by  whose  deputy  he  had  been  arrested  under  a  warrant  issued 
at  the  instigation  of  that  committee.  Being  himself,  about  the 
same  time,  summoned  before  the  committee,  he  appeared  at 
Washington,  and  rendered  his  testimony.  Nor  had  he  hesi 
tated,  under  his  theory  of  his  duties  as  a  lawyer,  to  defend 
causes  appealing  less  directly  to  his  sympathies,  or  even  posi 
tively  repugnant  to  them.  Among  others,  besides  the  instance 
of  the  British  consul  before  mentioned,  may  be  named  his 
advocacy,  in  1860,  of  the  right  of  Mr.  Burnham,  against  the 
inquisition  of  a  committee  of  the  Massachusetts  Legislature ; 
and  also  his  defence,  the  same  year,  in  the  United-States  Dis 
trict  and  Circuit  Courts,  of  the  notorious  slaver-yacht  "Wan 
derer"  against  forfeiture. 

This  brilliant  legal  career  was  a  result  of  uninterrupted  devo 
tion  to  a  profession  which  always  demands  constancy  as  a  con 
dition  of  success.  Although  warmly  interested  from  an  early 
age  in  the  course  of  public  affairs,  and  often  taking  part  in 
political  assemblies,  —  until  1848  as  a  Whig,  in  that  year  pass 
ing  into  the  Free-Soil  party,  and  in  1854  uniting  naturally 
with  the  Republicans,  —  it  was  not  until  1858  that  he  consented 
to  accept  political  office.  In  the  autumn  campaign  of  the  pre- 


STATE    OFFICERS. CONGRESSMEN.  13 

vious  year,  resulting  in  the  overthrow  of  the  Know-Nothing 
party,  by  which  Massachusetts  had  been  ruled  since  1854,  he 
had  sustained  an  active  part.  The  former  political  issues  be 
ing  revived  by  the  dissolution  of  that  organization  after  its 
defeat,  he  consented  to  be  chosen  to  the  Legislature  of  1858. 
Mr.  Andrew  was  at  once  recognized  as  the  leader  of  his  party 
in  the  House.  The  leader  of  the  opposition  was  Hon.  Caleb 
Gushing,  of  Newburyport,  formerly  member  of  Congress,  and 
the  Attorney-General  of  the  United  States  under  President 
Pierce.  At  the  close  of  the  session,  Mr.  Andrew  returned  to 
his  profession,  refusing  to  permit  his  name  to  be  used  as  a 
candidate  for  Governor,  and  declined  also  an  election  to  the 
Legislature,  and  an  appointment,  tendered  him  by  Governor 
Banks,  of  a  seat  on  the  bench  of  the  Superior  Court.  In 
the  spring  of  1860,  he  was  unanimously  selected  to  head  the 
delegation  from  Massachusetts  to  the  Republican  National  Con 
vention  at  Chicago.  As  chairman  of  the  delegation,  he  cast 
the  vote  of  the  State  for  Mr.  Seward  until  the  final  ballot, 
when  it  was  thrown  for  Mr.  Lincoln.  That  fall  he  was  nomi 
nated  by  the  Republican  State  Convention  for  Governor,  and 
was  elected  by  the  majority  we  have  already  stated,  in  the 
largest  popular  vote  ever  cast  in  the  State. 

This,  in  brief,  was  the  life  of  Governor  Andrew,  up  to  the 
time  he  entered  upon  the  duties  of  Governor  of  this  Common 
wealth. 

Associated  with  him  on  the  ticket  as  Lieutenant-Governor 
was  Hon.  John  Z.  Goodrich,  of  West  Stockbridge,  who,  being 
afterwards  appointed  Collector  of  the  Port  of  Boston,  resigned 
on  the  29th  of  March,  1861.  Oliver  Warner,  of  Northampton, 
was  elected  Secretary  of  State  ;  Henry  K.  Oliver,  of  Salem, 
Treasurer  and  Receiver- General ;  Dwight  Foster,  of  Worcester, 
Attorney-General ;  and  Levi  Reed,  of  Abington,  Auditor  of  Ac 
counts.  Jacob  Sleeper,  of  Boston  ;  John  I.  Baker,  of  Beverly ; 
James  M.  Shute,  of  Somerville  ;  Hugh  M.  Greene,  of  North- 
field  ;  Joel  Hayden,  of  Williamsburg ;  James  Ritchie,  of  Rox- 
bury ;  Oakes  Ames,  of  Easton ;  and  Eleazer  C.  Sherman,  of 
Plymouth, — were  elected  Councillors.  William  Schouler,  of 
Lynn,  was  Adjutant-General,  to  which  office  he  had  been  ap- 


14  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

pointed  by  Governor  Banks  ;  he  was  also  acting  Quartermaster 
and  Inspector -General  of  the  Commonwealth,  —  the  entire 
duties  of  which  offices  he  performed  with  the  assistance  of 
William  Brown,  of  Boston,  clerk,  and  one  man,  who  had 
charge  of  the  State  arsenal  at  Cambridge,  in  which  were  de 
posited  the  arms  and  munitions  of  war  belonging  to  the  Com 
monwealth,  except  those  which  were  loaned  to  the  companies  of 
active  militia,  and  cared  for  in  their  several  armories. 

The  personal  military  staff  of  the  Governor  was  limited  b}^ 
law  to  four  aides-de-camp,  each  with  the  rank  and  title  of  lieu 
tenant-colonel.  Governor  Andrew  appointed,  as  his  military 
aids,  Horace  Binney  Sargent,  of  West  Roxbury  (senior  aid)  ; 
Harrison  Ritchie,  of  Boston  ;  John  W.  Wetherell,  of  Worcester  ; 
and  Henry  Lee,  Jr.,  of  Brookline.  Colonel  Sargent  had  served 
on  the  staff  of  Governor  Banks.  He  remained  on  the  staff  of 
Governor  Andrew  until  he  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel 
of  the  First  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  in  August, 
1861,  when  Colonel  Ritchie  became  senior  aid,  and  John  Quincy 
Adams,  of  Quincy,  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy. 

Massachusetts  was  represented  in  the  Thirty-sixth  Congress, 
which  ended  March  4,  1861,  by  Charles  Sumner  and  Henry 
Wilson,  in  the  Senate,  and  by  Thomas  D.  Elliot,  James  Buf- 
finton,  Charles  Francis  Adams,  Alexander  H.  Rice,  Anson 
Burlingame,  John  B.  Alley,  Daniel  W.  Gooch,  Charles  R. 
Train,  Eli  Thayer,  Charles  Delano,  and  Henry  L.  Dawes,  in 
the  House  of  Representatives. 

Before  the  war,  and  during  the  war,  Mr.  Sumner  was  chair 
man  of  the  Committee  on  Foreign  Affairs,  and  Mr.  Wilson  of 
the  Militia  and  Military  Affairs,  two  of  the  most  important 
committees  of  that  body,  which  positions  they  now  hold. 

In  the  Thirty-seventh  Congress,  which  terminated  March  4, 
1863,  Benjamin  F.  Thomas  succeeded  Mr.  Adams,  who  re 
signed  his  seat  upon  receiving  the  appointment  of  Minister  to 
England,  Samuel  Hooper  succeeded  Mr.  Burlingame,  who  was 
appointed  Minister  to  China,  and  Goldsmith  F.  Bailey  suc 
ceeded  Mr.  Thayer. 

In  the  Thirty-eighth  Congress,  which  terminated  March  4th, 
1865,  Oakes  Ames  succeeded  Mr.  Buffinton,  George  S. 


VOLUNTEER   MILITIA.  15 

Boutvvell  Mr.  Train,  James  D.  Baldwin  Mr.  Bailey,  (deceased) 
and  William  B.  Washburn  Mr.  Delano. 

In  the  Thirty-ninth  Congress,  Mr.  Gooch  having  accepted  a 
government  appointment,  Ex- Governor  Banks  was  elected  to 
fill  the  vacancy. 

These  Congresses  extend  over  the  period  immediately  pre 
ceding  the  war,  and  that  of  its  duration  and  close.  The  Massa 
chusetts  Senators  and  Representatives  served  with  distinction  on 
several  of  the  most  important  committees,  and  thus  were  promi 
nent  in  perfecting  bills  and  shaping  the  legislation  of  Con 
gress.  It  does  not,  however,  come  within  the  scope  of  this 
volume  to  speak  of  their  varied  and  valuable  services  in  behalf 
of  the  Union,  although,  if  properly  recorded,  they  would  add 
materially  to  the  renown  of  the  Commonwealth.  The  story  of 
their  services  will  hereafter  be  told  by  the  historian  of  the  nation , 
for  it  was  the  nation,  and  not  merely  a  part,  that  they  served. 

The  whole  number  of  enrolled  militia  of  the  Commonwealth, 
in  1860,  was  155,389  ;  and  the  number  of  the  active  or  volun 
teer  militia,  5,593.  The  active  force  was  organized  into  three 
divisions  and  six  brigades  ;  nine  regiments  and  three  battalions 
of  infantry  ;  three  battalions  and  eight  unattached  companies  of 
riflemen  ;  one  battalion  and  five  unattached  companies  of  cav 
alry.  Officers  and  men  found  their  own  uniforms.  The  State 
furnished  arms  and  equipments,  except  to  officers.  Each  com 
pany  had  an  armory  for  the  deposit  of  its  arms,  and  for  drill  pur 
poses,  the  rents  of  which  were  paid  by  the  Commonwealth. 

The  State,  on  the  1st  of  January,  1861,  had  at  the  arsenal 
at  Cambridge,  and  distributed  to  the  active  militia,  seventy-one 
field-pieces,  of  various  calibre,  and  about  ten  thousand  serviceable 
muskets,  twenty-five  hundred  of  which  were  of  the  most  ap 
proved  pattern  of  the  Springfield  rifled  musket,  which,  as  a 
muzzle-loading  arm,  is  the  best  in  the  world. 

It  was  plain,  from  the  tenor  of  his  inaugural  address,  that  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  believed  war  between  the  North  and  South  was 
imminent.  He  advised,  among  other  things,  an  inquiry, 
whether,  in  addition  to  the  active  volunteer  militia,  the  dor 
mant  militia,  or  some  considerable  portion  of  it,  should  not  be 
placed  on  a  footing  of  activity.  "For  how  otherwise,"  he  asks, 


16  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

"  in  the  possible  contingencies  of  the  future,  can  we  be  sure  that 
Massachusetts  has  taken  care  to  preserve  the  manly  self-reliance 
of  the  citizens,  by  which  alone,  in  the  long-run,  can  the  crea 
tion  of  standing  armies  be  averted,  and  the  State  also  be  ready, 
without  inconvenient  delay,  to  contribute  her  share  of  force  in 
any  exigency  of  public  danger  ?  " 

But  it  was  not  alone  in  his  address  that  he  foreshadowed  his 
belief  of  the  approach  of  war.  It  would  not  have  been  wise 
to  make  known  publicly  his  inmost  thoughts.  Let  actions 
speak.  On  the  evening  of  the  very  day  on  which  his  inaugural 
address  was  delivered  (Jan.  5),  he  despatched  confidential  mes 
sages,  by  trustworthy  messengers,  to  each  of  the  Governors  of 
the  New-England  States,  urging  preparation  for  the  approach 
ing  crisis.  Early  in  December,  soon  after  the  meeting  of  Con 
gress,  he  had  visited  Washington,  and  personally  acquainted 
himself  with  the  aspect  of  national  affairs,  and  with  the  views 
of  the  principal  representatives  both  of  North  and  South. 
After  his  return,  he  had  opened  a  confidential  correspondence 
on  matters  transpiring  there,  with  Hon.  Charles  Francis  Adams, 
who  kept  him  minutely  acquainted,  from  day  to  day,  with  the 
progress  of  events.  One  of  the  suggestions  of  Mr.  Adams 
was,  that  there  should  be  public  demonstrations  of  loyalty 
throughout  New  England,  and  it  was  proposed  by  him  to  have 
salutes  fired  in  each  of  the  States  on  the  8th  of  January,  the 
anniversary  of  General  Jackson's  victory  at  New  Orleans.  Colo 
nel  Wardrop,  of  New  Bedford,  Third  Eegiment  Massachusetts 
Volunteer  Militia,  was  sent  to  Governor  Fairbanks,  of  Vermont ; 
and  other  messengers  were  sent  to  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut, 
New  Hampshire,  and  Maine,  for  this  purpose.  One  of  these  mes 
sengers  was  the  gentleman  who  afterwards  became  Governor  An 
drew's  private  military  secretary,  —  Colonel  Albert  G.  Browne, 
of  Salem,  — and  who  served  him  during  the  entire  war  ;  and  who, 
for  ability  as  a  ready  writer,  truthfulness,  sturdy  independence, 
reticence,  and  undoubted  patriotism,  deserved,  as  he  received, 
the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  Governor,  the  entire  staff,  and 
of  gentlemen  holding  confidential  and  important  relations  with 
His  Excellency.  Colonel  Browne's  mission  was  to  confer  with 
Governor  Goodwin,  of  New  Hampshire,  and  Governor  Wash- 


PREPARATION.  GENERAL  ORDER  NO.  2.         17 

burn,  of  Maine.  Besides  the  mere  duty  of  organizing  public 
demonstrations,  he  was  intrusted,  as  to  the  Governor  of  Maine 
with  a  mission  of  a  far  more  important  character.  Maine  and 
Massachusetts,  being  subject  to  a  common  State  government  until 
1820,  sustained  peculiar  relations  to  each  other,  by  similarity  of 
legislation,  institutions,  and,  in  later  years,  of  political  senti 
ment.  Colonel  Browne  was  intrusted  with  the  whole  of  the 
private  correspondence  with  Mr.  Adams  before  mentioned,  and 
was  directed  to  lay  it  confidentially  before  Governor  Washburn  ; 
to  advise  him,  that,  in  Governor  Andrew's  judgment,  civil  war 
was  the  inevitable  result  of  the  events  going  on  at  Washing 
ton  and  in  the  South  ;  that  the  safety  of  Washington  was  al 
ready  threatened  ;  that  the  policy  of  the  Executive  government 
of  Massachusetts,  under  the  new  administration,  would  be  to 
piat  its  active  militia  into  readiness  at  once  for  the  impending 
crisis,  and  persuade  the  Legislature,  if  possible,  to  call  part  of 
the  dormant  militia  into  activity  ;  and  to  urge  Governor  Wash- 
burn  to  adopt  the  same  policy  for  Maine.  Leaving  Boston  on 
the  evening  of  Saturday,  Jan.  5,  Colonel  Browne,  after  an 
interview  with  Governor  Goodwin,  at  Portsmouth  on  Sunday, 
reached  Augusta  on  Jan.  7,  and  held  his  interview  with  Gover 
nor  Washburn.  By  him,  Adjutant-General  John  L.  Hodsdon, 
and  United  States  Senator  Lot  M.  Morrill  were  called  into  con 
sultation,  and  the  answer  was  returned,  that,  "wherever  Massa 
chusetts  leads,  Maine  will  follow  close,  if  she  can't  keep 
abreast." 

Thus  Governor  Andrew,  on  the  very  day  of  his  inauguration, 
placed  himself  in  confidential  relations  with  each  of  the  Gover 
nors  of  New  England,  which  continued  through  the  entire  rebel 
lion,  and  were  of  mutual  benefit. 

On  the  6th  of  January,  the  day  after  the  inauguration,  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  directed  the  Adjutant-General  to  issue  General 
Order  No.  2,  which  was  promulgated  the  next  day,  and  prop 
erly  executed  on  the  eighth. 

HEAD-QUARTERS,  BOSTON,  Jan.  7,  1861. 
GENERAL  ORDER  No.  2. 

In  commemoration  of  the  brave  defenders  of  New  Orleans,  Jan.  8, 
1815,  by  the  deceased  patriot,  General  Jackson,  and  in  honor  of  the 


18  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

gallant  conduct  and  wise  foresight  of  Major  Anderson,  now  in  command 
of  Fort  Surater,  in  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  His  Excellency  John 
A.  Andrew,  Governor  and  Commander-in-chief,  orders,  that  a  salute 
of  one  hundred  mms  be  fired  on  Boston  Common,  at  twelve,  meridian, 

O 

on  Tuesday,  Jan.  8th  inst.,  and  a  national  salute  be  fired,  at  the  same 
time,  for  the  same  purposes,  in  Charlestown,  Lexington,  Concord,  Wal- 
tham,  Roxbury,  Marblehead,  Newburyport,  Salem,  Groton,  Lynn, 
Worcester,  Greenfield,  Northampton,  Fall  River,  and  Lowell. 

By  command  of  His  Excellency  John  A.  Andrew,  Governor  and 
Commander-in-chief. 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant- General. 

The  purpose  of  firing  these  salutes  was  to  revive  old  patri 
otic  memories.  The  8th  of  January  had  been  held  a  holiday  by 
the  Democratic  party  since  the  presidency  of  General  Jackson  ; 
though  of  late  years  it  had  been,  in  a  great  measure,  passed  over 
without  special  regard.  The  association  of  the  first  battle-fields 
of  the  Revolution  with  the  last  and  most  brilliant  action  of  the 
war  of  1812  and  the  patriotic  movement  of  Major  Anderson 
in  Charleston  Harbor,  would,  it  was  believed,  revive  pleasant 
recollections  of  the  past,  and  serve  to  unite  the  North  in  sup 
port  of  the  Constitution  and  the  Union. 

As  required  by  law,  the  Adjutant-General  had  made  his 
annual  report  in  December.  It  was  addressed  to  Governor 
Banks,  and  is  dated  Dec.  31,  1860.  On  pages  37  and  38  he 
says, — 

"Events  have  transpired  in  some  of  the  Southern  States  and  at 
Washington,  which  have  awakened  the  attention  of  the  people  of 
Massachusetts,  in  a  remarkable  degree,  to  the  perpetuity  of  the  Federal 
Union,  which  may  require  the  active  militia  of  the  Commonwealth  to 
be  greatly  augmented.  Should  our  worst  fears  be  realized,  and  this 
nation  plunged  into  the  horrors  of  civil  war,  upon  Massachusetts  may 
rest,  in  no  inconsiderable  degree,  the  duty  of  staying  the  effusion  of 
blood,  and  of  rolling  back  the  black  tide  of  anarchy  and  ruin.  She 
did  more  than  her  share  to  achieve  the  independence  of  our  country, 
and  establish  the  Government  under  which  we  have  risen  to  such  un 
paralleled  prosperity,  and  become  the  Great  Power  of  the  American 
Continent ;  and  she  will  be  true  to  her  history,  her  traditions,  and  her 
fair  fame.  Should  it  become  necessary  to  increase  the  number  of  her 


ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  REPORT.  19 

active  militia  to  a  war  footing,  the  present  organization  offers  an  easy 
and  a  good  means.  The  present  companies  could  be  filled  to  their  full 
complement  of  men,  and  the  regiments  to  their  full  complement  of 
companies ;  new  regiments  of  infantry,  new  battalions  of  riflemen, 
new  companies  of  artillery  and  cavalry,  could  be  formed,  with  which 
to  fill  the  several  brigades,  and  make  our  present  divisions  five  thou 
sand  men  each,  with  proper  apportionment  of  the  several  military  arms. 
This,  of  course,  would  require  a  large  outlay  of  money,  which  would 
doubtless  be  cheerfully  met  by  our  people,  if  their  honor  and  the  wel 
fare  of  the  country  demand  it  of  them." 

The  Adjutant-General  then  suggested,  "that  a  board  of  offi 
cers  be  called,  as  provided  in  section  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
three,  chapter  thirteen,  of  the  General  Statutes,  to  consider  and 
recommend  such  changes  as  their  judgment  shall  approve,  and 
their  experience  suggest." — "In  the  mean  time,"  he  said,  "I 
would  suggest,  that  a  general  order  be  issued,  calling  upon 
commanders  of  the  active  force  to  forward  to  head-quarters  the 
names  of  the  persons  composing  their  commands,  also  their 
places  of  residence,  so  that  a  complete  roll  of  each  company 
may  be  on  file  in  this  department.  The  companies  that  have 
not  their  full  quota  of  men  should  be  filled  by  new  enlistments 
to  the  number  fixed  by  law ;  and,  whenever  new  enlistments  are 
made  or  discharges  given,  the  names  of  the  persons  enlisted  and 
discharged  should  be  forwarded  immediately  to  head-quarters, 
and  placed  on  file." 

Governor  Banks,  to  whom  the  report  was  addressed,  retired 
from  office  four  days  after  it  was  printed,  and  before  any 
action  could  be  taken  upon  the  recommendations  made.  They 
looked  to  a  greatly  increased  active  militia  force,  and  are  the 
first  suggestions  that  were  made  in  an  official  form  for  strength 
ening  the  military  force  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  placing  it 
upon  a  war  footing. 

Governor  Andrew  adopted  these  suggestions ;  and  on  the 
16th  of  January,  eleven  days  after  his  inauguration,  directed 
the  Adjutant-General  to  issue  General  Order  No.  4,  which  cre 
ated  a  great  interest  throughout  the  State,  and  especially  among 
the  active  militia. 


20  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 

HEAD-QUARTERS,  BOSTON,  Jan.  16,  1861. 

GENERAL  ORDER  No.  4. 

Events  which  have  recently  occurred,  and  are  now  in  progress,  re 
quire  that  Massachusetts  should  be  at  all  times  ready  to  furnish  her 
quota  upon  any  requisition  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  to 
aid  in  the  maintenance  of  the  laws  and  the  peace  of  the  Union.  His 
Excellency  the  Commander-in-chief  therefore  orders, — 

That  the  commanding  officer  of  each  company  of  volunteer  militia 
examine  with  care  the  roll  of  his  company,  and  cause  the  name  of  each 
member,  together  with  his  rank  and  place  of  residence,  to  be  properly 
recorded,  arid  a  copy  of  the  same  to  be  forwarded  to  the  office  of  the 
Adjutant-General.  Previous  to  which,  commanders  of  companies  shall 
make  strict  inquiry,  whether  there  are  men  in  their  commands,  who 
from  age,  physical  defect,  business,  or  family  causes,  may  be  unable  or 
indisposed  to  respond  at  once  to  the  orders  of  the  Commander-in-chief, 
made  in  response  to  the  call  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  that 
they  be  forthwith  discharged ;  so  that  their  places  may  be  filled  by 
men  ready  for  any  public  exigency  which  may  arise,  whenever  called 
upon. 

After  the  above  orders  shall  have  been  fulfilled,  no  discharge,  either 
of  officer  or  private,  shall  be  granted,  unless  for  cause  satisfactory  to 
the  Commander-in-chief. 

If  any  companies  have  not  the  number  of  men  allowed  by  law,  the 
commanders  of  the  same  shall  make  proper  exertions  to  have  the  va 
cancies  filled,  and  the  men  properly  drilled  and  uniformed,  and  their 
names  and  places  of  residence  forwarded  to  head-quarters. 

To  promote  the  objects  embraced  in  this  order,  the  general,  field, 
and  staff  officers,  and  the  Adjutant  and  acting  Quartermaster  General 
will  give  all  the  aid  and  assistance  in  their  power. 

Major-Generals  Sutton,  Morse,  and  Andrews  will  cause  this  order 
to  be  promulgated  throughout  their  respective  divisions. 

By  command  of  His  Excellency  John  A.  Andrew,  Governor  and 
Commander-in-chief. 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant- General. 

The  order  was  generally  well  received,  and  immediately 
acted  upon.  Some  of  the  newspapers  attacked  it,  as  unneces 
sary  and  sensational ;  but  it  was  sustained  as  proper.  The 
active  militia  responded  with  alacrity.  Meetings  were  held 
in  their  armories,  the  rolls  called ;  and  the  men  who  could 


LEGISLATIVE    PROCEEDINGS.  21 

not  respond,  should  a  call  be  made  to  march,  were  honorably 
discharged,  and  their  places  filled  by  active  men  who  could. 
The  corrected  rolls  were  forwarded  to  head-quarters.  Only 
one  company  sent  in  a  political  argumentative  answer,  which 
was  drawn  up  with  ability,  and  was  evidently  written  by  a 
Southern  sympathizer.  The  document  made  several  pages  of 
manuscript.  The  Adjutant-General  returned  it  to  the  officer, 
with  the  remark,  that  the  paper  was  disrespectful  in  its  tone  and 
language  to  the  Commander-in-chief,  and  in  violation  of  the  first 
principles  of  military  law.  He  would  give  him  an  opportunity 
either  to  modify  it  or  to  withdraw  it  entirely.  If  a  satisfactory 
response  was  not  received  within  a  reasonable  time,  the  matter 
would  be  laid  before  His  Excellency  the  Governor ;  and  the 
probability  was,  the  officers  of  the  company  would  be  dis 
charged,  and  the  company  disbanded.  In  a  few  days,  a  proper 
answer  was  made ;  and  the  officer  with  his  company,  before  the 
end  of  the  year,  were  mustered  into  the  service  for  three  years, 
and  were  sent  to  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  where  they  did 
good  service. 

From  the  day  that  General  Order  No.  4  was  issued,  a  new 
spirit  and  zeal  imbued  our  volunteer  force.  Applications  also 
came  from  different  parts  of  the  Commonwealth  for  permission 
to  raise  new  companies.  A  general  impression  prevailed,  that 
we  were  on  the  perilous  edge  of  battle,  and  it  was  the  duty  of 
Massachusetts  to  be  ready  to  meet  the  crisis.  In  the  mean  time, 
the  Governor,  who  believed  from  the  first  that  war  would  ensue, 
was  obtaining  information,  from  every  available  source,  that 
would  be  of  use,  and  which  could  guide  him  wisely  in  his 
course. 

The  first  movement  made  in  the  Legislature  in  relation  to 
national  or  military  matters  was  a  resolution  which  was  offered 
in  the  House  on  the  llth  of  January,  six  days  after  Governor 
Andrew's  inauguration,  and  a  day  or  two  after  the  Speaker  had 
announced  the  standing  committees  ;  which  was  in  effect,  "  that  it 
is  the  universal  sentiment  of  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  that 
the  President  should  enforce  the  execution  of  the  laws  of  the 
United  States,  defend  the  Union,  protect  national  property ;  " 
and,  to  this  end,  the  State  "  cheerfully  tenders  her  entire  means, 


22  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

civil  and  military,  to  enable  him  to  do  so."  This  was  referred 
to  the  Committee  on  Federal  Relations. 

Jan.  12.  Mr.  Slocum,  of  Grafton,  offered  a  resolution,  di 
recting  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  to  inquire  whether  the 
militia  laws  of  this  State  were  in  accordance  with  the  Constitu 
tion  and  laws  of  the  United  States. 

In  the  Senate,  Jan.  14,  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  re 
ported  a  bill  of  three  sections  to  increase  the  volunteer  force, 
which  was  discussed  on  the  15th  and  16th,  and  finally  recom 
mitted  to  the  committee,  together  with  all  the  amendments  that 
had  been  proposed. 

On  the  same  day  (14th),  Mr.  George  T.  Davis,  of  Greenfield, 
introduced  a  bill  "  to  prevent  hostile  invasions  of  other  States  ;  " 
the  purpose  of  which  was  to  prevent,  by  fine  and  imprisonment, 
persons  who  should  set  on  foot  any  unlawful  scheme,  military 
or  naval,  to  invade  any  State  or  Territory  of  the  Union.  This 
was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  Federal  Relations,  but  never 
was  passed. 

Jan.  18.  In  the  Senate. — Mr.  Cole,  of  Berkshire,  from  the 
Committee  on  Federal  Relations,  reported  a  series  of  resolu 
tions,  the  purport  of  which  was,  to  stand  by  the  Union,  and 
tendering  to  the  President  of  the  United  States  such  aid,  in  men 
and  money,  as  he  may  require.  On  motion  of  Mr.  Northend, 
of  Essex,  the  rules  were  suspended,  and  the  resolves  passed  the 
Senate  by  a  unanimous  vote. 

On  the  same  day,  Mr.  Parker,  of  Worcester,  introduced  in 
the  House  a  new  militia  bill,  which  was  referred  to  the  commit 
tee  on  that  subject. 

Jan.  19.  In  Senate.  —  Mr.  Northend  introduced  a  series 
of  resolutions,  to  the  effect  that  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  was  the  supreme  law  of  the  land ;  that  the  recent  acts 
of  South  Carolina  are  revolutionary  and  treasonable ;  and  that 
this  Government  must  be  maintained  at  all  hazards. 

Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Federal  Relations. 

The  same  day,  a  long  debate  took  place  in  the  House,  on  a 
bill  to  increase  the  militia,  but  without  coming  to  a  vote. 

Jan.  21.  In  Senate. — Mr.  Walker,  of  Worcester,  intro 
duced  a  resolution  to  inquire  whether  there  were  parties  in  this 


LEGISLATIVE   PROCEEDINGS.  23 

Commonwealth  making  arms  or  ammunition,  to  be  sold  to  the 
agents  of  States  now  or  likely  to  be  in  rebellion,  with  power  to 
send  for  persons  and  papers.  Adopted. 

Same  day,  a  debate  occurred  in  the  House  on  the  Militia 
Bill ;  but,  without  taking  a  vote,  the  bill  was  recommitted. 

Jan.  23.  In  Senate. — Mr.  Schouler,  of  Middlesex,  of 
fered  an  order,  which  was  adopted,  directing  the  Adjutant- 
General  to  furnish  estimates,  for  the  use  of  the  Legislature,  of 
the  cost  of  furnishing  2,000  overcoats,  2,000  blankets,  2,000 
knapsacks,  and  camp  equipage  for  a  force  of  2,000  men, 
when  in  active  service. 

In  the  House,  same  day,  Mr.  Coffin,  of  Newburyport,  re 
ported  the  Militia  Bill  in  a  new  draft. 

Same  day,  the  Governor  sent  a  communication  to  the 
House,  informing  it  of  the  tender  of  the  Sixth  Regiment,  by 
Colonel  Jones,  for  immediate  service,  if  required. 

Jan.  24.  In  Senate. — A  message  was  received  from  the 
Governor,  transmitting  the  proposition  from  the  Legislature  of 
Virginia ,%  for  the  appointment  of  commissioners  to  meet  at 
Washington  on  the  4th  of  February,  to  agree  upon  a  compro 
mise  of  the  national  difficulties.  Referred  to  the  Committee  on 
Federal  Relations,  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 

Jan.  26.  In  Senate.  —  Mr.  Davis,  of  Bristol,  offered  this 
order :  — 

"  That  the  Committee  on  the  Judiciary  be  instructed  to  forthwith 
report  a  bill  authorizing  the  authorities  of  this  Commonwealth  to  in 
dorse  and  guarantee  the  treasury  notes  of  the  United  States  to  the  full 
amount  of  the  surplus  revenue  received  by  Massachusetts  in  the  year 
1837." 

Some  opposition  was  made  to  the  order,  but  it  was  adopted. 

Jan.  28.  In  the  House. — Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  in 
troduced  resolutions  to  sustain  the  Union ;  and  that  all  at 
tempts  to  overthrow  it,  with  the  expectation  of  reconstructing 
it  anew,  were  vain  and  illusory. 

Referred  to  the  Committee  on  Federal  Relations. 

Jan.  29.  In  Senate.  — A  message  was  received  from  the 
Governor,  transmitting  certain  resolutions  passed  by  the  States 
of  Pennsylvania  and  Tennessee ;  also  the  Ordinance  of  Seces- 


24  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

sion  of  the  State  of  Georgia,  adopted  by  a  convention  of 
the  people  of  that  State,  and  forwarded  to  Governor  Andrew 
by  George  W.  Crawford,  president  of  that  convention.  After 
some  debate,  it  was  voted  to  print  the  message  of  Governor 
Andrew  and  the  resolutions  from  the  two  States,  but  not  to 
further  notice  the  Secession  Ordinance. 

A  debate  then  arose  upon  passing  the  bill  for  Massachu 
setts  to  indorse  the  notes  of  the  United  States  to  the  amount 
of  our  indebtedness  on  account  of  the  surplus  revenue,  which, 
after  debate,  was  rejected, — yeas  14,  nays  19.  The  reason 
for  rejecting  the  bill  was  stated  by  Mr.  Hardy,  of  Norfolk. 
"  He  did  not  like  to  have  it  put  on  record  that  old  Massachu 
setts  came  to  the  Federal  Government  in  the  hour  of  distress, 
and  said  that  she  would  loan  her  all  she  owed,  and  no  more. 
He  was  in  favor  of  giving  all  that  the  Government  needed,  as 
far  as  it  was  possible,  —  two,  three,  or  four  millions." 

Same  day,  in  the  House,  the  bill  to  increase  the  militia  was 
further  debated,  and  a  substitute  for  the  whole  bill,  offered  by 
Mr.  Banfield,  of  West  Roxbury,  was  adopted,  and  passed  to  a 
third  reading  by  a  vote  of  116  to  40.  This  bill,  however,  did 
not  become  a  law. 

Jan.  30.  In  Senate.  —  On  motion  of  Mr.  Hardy,  of  Nor 
folk,  the  bill  in  relation  to  loaning  the  State  credit  to  the 
United  States,  which  was  rejected  yesterday,  was  re-consid 
ered  ;  and  he  offered  a  new  proposition,  as  follows  :  — 

"That  the  Treasurer  and  Receiver- General  of  the  Commonwealth 
be  and  hereby  is  authorized  to  guarantee,  upon  the  request  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  the  treasury  bonds 
of  the  United  States  to  the  amount  of  $2,000,000,  on  such  conditions 
as  shall  be  agreed  upon  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  Uni 
ted  States,  and  the  Governor  and  Council  of  this  Commonwealth." 

Mr.  Boynton,  of  Worcester,  thought  the  passage  of  the  bill 
would  indicate  that  the  credit  of  the  United  States  is  not 
good,  and  we  must  indorse  it  to  make  it  good.  He  did  not 
think  it  necessary  to  take  such  a  step  before  it  is  called  for. 
He  thought  it  was  "  a  Union-saving  "  movement,  and  would  do 
more  to  our  discredit  than  to  the  good  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Hardy  said  it  was  not  only  a  movement  in  behalf  of  the 


LEGISLATIVE    PROCEEDINGS.  25 

Union,  but  a  matter  of  business.  It  is  true,  the  General  Gov 
ernment  is  bankrupt.  Massachusetts  can  help  by  her  notes  or 
her  indorsement ;  and,  instead  of  bending  the  knee  or  rolling 
in  the  dust  before  the  South,  it  is  putting  backbone  into  the 
Government.  It  shows  that  Massachusetts  has  faith  in  the 
General  Government. 

Mr.  Boynton  was  opposed  to  giving  any  aid  to  the  present 
Administration  (Buchanan's) .  When  we  have  a  new  Adminis 
tration  that  we  can  trust,  he  thought  it  would  be  time  enough 
to  talk  about  lending  money. 

Mr.  Davis,  of  Bristol,  moved  to  amend  the  bill  so  that  it 
would  take  effect  immediately  upon  its  passage.  The  amend 
ment  was  carried,  and  the  bill  was  passed  to  a  third  reading. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Schouler,  of  Middlesex,  the  bill  was 
ordered  to  be  printed. 

Jan.  30.  In  the  House. — The  Senate  Militia  Bill  came 
up  in  order.  Mr.  Durfee,  of  New  Bedford,  moved  to  strike 
out  all  after  the  enacting  clause,  and  to  substitute  a  bill  of  his 
own.  The  subject  was  then  laid  on  the  table,  and  the  bill  and 
amendment  ordered  to  be  printed. 

Jan.  31.  In  Senate.  —  A  communication  was  received 
from  the  Adjutant-General,  in  accordance  with  a  joint  resolu 
tion  of  the  Legislature,  adopted  on  the  23d  inst.,  giving  the 
following  estimates  of  equipping  2,000  men  for  active  service  : 
2,000  overcoats,  at  $9  each,  $18,000;  2,000  knapsacks,  at 
$2.25  each,  $4,500  ;  2,000  blankets,  at  $3  each,  $6,000  ;  camp 
equipage  (exclusive  of  tents),  $3,000, —total,  $31,500. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Schouler,  of  Middlesex,  the  communica 
tion  was  laid  on  the  table,  and  ordered  to  be  printed. 

Feb.  1.  In  Senate.  —  Mr.  Whitney,  of  Plymouth,  from 
the  Committee  on  Federal  Kelations,  reported  a  bill  to  create 
an  emergency  fund  for  the  Governor  of  $100,000,  to  take  effect 
upon  its  passage.  The  bill  was  immediately  passed  through  the 
several  stages,  under  a  suspension  of  the  rules. 

The  communication  of  the  Adjutant-General  was  taken  from 
the  table,  and  referred  to  the  Joint  Standing  Committee  on  the 
Militia. 

In  the  House,  the  Militia  Bill  was  discussed.     Several  amend- 


26  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

ments  were  offered  by  Mr.  Quincy,  of  Boston,  which  were 
lost.  The  substitute  offered  by  Mr.  Durfee,  of  New  Bedford, 
was  also  voted  down ;  and  the  bill  in  the  draft  offered  by  Mr. 
Banfield,  of  West  Roxbury,  was  ordered  to  be  engrossed. 

Mr.  Parker,  of  Worcester,  moved  to  reconsider  the  vote  by 
•which  the  bill  was  passed.  Placed  on  the  orders  of  the  day. 

Saturday,  Feb.  2.  In  the  House.  —  The  motion  to  re 
consider  the  vote  by  which  the  Militia  bill  was  ordered  to  be 
engrossed  was  carried;  and,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Hills,  of  Bos 
ton,  it  was  recommitted  to  the  Committee  on  the  Militia. 

On  leave,  Mr.  Smith,  of  Boston,  introduced  a  new  bill  in 
relation  to  the  militia ;  and  that  also  was  referred  to  the  Com 
mittee  on  the  Militia. 

Mr.  Tyler,  of  Boston,  from  the  Finance  Committee,  reported 
to  the  House  the  Senate  bill  creating  an  emergency  fund  of 
$100,000.  He  moved  that  the  rules  be  suspended,  that  it 
might  take  its  several  readings  at  once. 

Mr.  Parsons,  of  Lawrence,  opposed  the  suspension  of  the 
rules,  on  the  ground  that  a  bill  of  so  much  importance  should 
be  carefully  considered. 

Mr.  Slack,  of  Boston,  thought  extraordinary  circumstances 
demanded  extraordinary  measures,  and  alluded  briefly  to  the 
present  state  of  national  affairs. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Davis,  of  Greenfield,  the  House  went  into 
secret  session.  During  the  secret  session,  the  motion  to  suspend 
the  rules  prevailed ;  and  the  bill  took  its  several  readings,  and 
was  ordered  to  be  engrossed. 

Feb.  2. — The  Senate  debated  the  resolves  for  the  appoint 
ment  of  seven  commissioners  to  proceed  to  Washington  to  con 
fer  with  the  General  Government,  or  with  commissioners  from 
other  States,  upon  the  state  of  the  country.  These  resolves 
were  reported  in  accordance  with  the  invitation  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  Virginia.  The  debate  in  the  Senate  was  very 
able  :  the  proposition  being  sustained  by  Messrs.  Northend  and 
Stone,  of  Essex;  Davis,  of  Bristol;  and  Hardy,  of  Norfolk; 
and  opposed  by  Mr.  Whiting,  of  Plymouth.  The  resolves 
passed, — yeas  24,  nays  6.  The  bill  provided,  that  the  com 
missioners  should  be  appointed  by  the  Governor,  and  should 
make  their  report  to  the  Legislature. 


LEGISLATIVE    PROCEEDINGS.  27 

In  the  House,  resolutions  of  a  similar  character  were  intro 
duced  by  Mr.  Parker,  of  Worcester.  They  were  supported  by 
Mr.  Davis,  of  Greenfield,  and  Mr.  Parker  ;  and  opposed  by  Mr. 
Branning,  of  Lee.  Before  coming  to  any  conclusion,  the  re 
solves  which  had  passed  the  Senate  reached  the  House.  Mr. 
Parker's  were  laid  on  the  table,  and  the  Senate  resolves  were 
discussed.  After  a  long  debate  on  a  motion  to  suspend  the 
rules,  which  was  lost, — yeas  104,  nays  65,  not  two-thirds, — 
the  House  adjourned. 

Tuesday,  Feb.  5.  In  the  House. — The  Senate  resolves  for 
the  appointment  of  commissioners  were,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Davis,  of  Greenfield,  taken  from  the  orders  of  the  day,  and 
considered.  He  said  the  resolves  met  with  his  entire  appro 
bation. 

Mr.  Slocum,  of  Grafton,  said,  with  all  respect  for  Virginia, 
he  could  not  abide  by  her  opinions,  since  they  might  desecrate 
the  soil  of  Massachusetts  to  slavery ;  rather  than  that,  said  he, 
let  blood  come.  He  moved  an  amendment. 

Mr.  Wallis,  of  Bolton,  favored  the  amendment. 

Mr.  Gilford,  of  Provincetown,  opposed  it,  and  favored  the 
resolutions.  "He  had  no  fears  that  Massachusetts  would  act  at 
the  bidding  of  Virginia  or  any  other  State." 

Mr.  French,  of  Waltham,  favored  the  amendment,  which 
was,  in  substance,  that  Massachusetts  did  not  agree  with  Vir 
ginia  that  the  Constitution  required  amendment  to  guarantee 
to  each  State  its  rights. 

Mr.  Hyde,  of  Newton,  opposed  the  amendment.  He  did 
not  see  any  good  reason  why  it  should  be  adopted.  He  did  not 
think  Virginia  needed  to  be  told  where  Massachusetts  stands 
to-day. 

Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  did  not  want  the  matter  forced 
through  by  outside  influence.  He  was  opposed  to  the  resolves, 
and  hoped  they  would  be  rejected. 

Mr.  Fisk,  of  Shelburne,  advocated  the  proposition,  and  would 
forward  it  with  his  hand  and  vote. 

Mr.  Prentiss,  of  Marblehead,  opposed  the  measure  in  a  speech 
of  considerable  length,  and  asked  if  we  would  send  commission 
ers  to  a  convention  of  traitors  ?  Let  us  rather  send  the  sword. 


28  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

Mr.  Slack,  of  Boston,  spoke  in  opposition.  He  foresaw  that 
the  convention  would  act  contrary  to  the  desires  of  the  people 
of  Massachusetts,  and  that  this  Commonwealth  would  be  partly 
responsible  for  its  acts. 

Mr.  Durfee,  of  New  Bedford,  moved  to  amend  by  instruct 
ing  the  commissioners  not  to  recognize  the  resolutions  presented 
in  Congress  by  Mr.  Crittenden,  of  Kentucky,  as  a  proper  basis 
for  adjustment  or  compromise  of  difficulties. 

Mr.  Sears,  of  Boston,  and  Mr.  Gibbs,  of  New  Bedford,  spoke 
in  favor  of  the  original  resolves,  and  against  the  amendments. 

The  amendments  were  voted  down,  and  the  resolves  were 
passed  to  be  engrossed  by  a  vote  of  yeas  184,  nays  31. 

Feb.  6. — The  House  voted  to  substitute  the  Senate  bill  for 
the  increase  of  the  militia  for  the  bill  of  Mr.  Banfield,  of  West 
Roxbury, — yeas  96,  nays  60. 

The  bill  was  as  follows  :  — 

CHAPTER  49.  —  An  Act  in  Relation  to  the  Volunteer  Militia. 

SECTION  1.  The  volunteer  militia  companies,  as  now  organized,  with 
their  officers,  shall  be  retained  in  the  service ;  and  hereafter,  as  the 
public  exigency  may  require,  the  organization  of  companies  of  artillery 
may  be  authorized,  on  petition,  by  the  Commander-in-chief,  with  advice 
of  the  Council,  and  the  organization  of  other  companies  may  be  au 
thorized,  on  petition,  by  the  Commander-in-chief,  or  by  the  mayor  and 
aldermen  or  selectmen,  by  his  permission ;  and  said  companies,  so  re 
tained  and  so  organized,  shall  be  liable,  on  a  requisition  of  the  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States  upon  the  Commander-in-chief,  to  be  marched 
without  the  limits  of  the  Commonwealth ;  but  all  additional  companies, 
battalions,  and  regiments  which  may  be  organized  under  the  provisions 
of  this  act,  shall  be  disbanded  whenever  the  Governor  or  the  Legisla 
ture  shall  deem  that  their  services  are  no  longer  needed.  Companies 
of  cavalry  shall  be  limited  to  one  hundred  privates,  and  a  saddler  and 
a  farrier ;  companies  of  artillery  to  forty-eight  cannoneers,  twenty-four 
drivers,  and  a  saddler  and  farrier ;  the  cadet  companies  of  the  first  and 
second  divisions  to  one  hundred,  and  companies  of  infantry  and  rifle 
men  to  sixty-four,  privates. 

SECT.  2.  The  fourteenth  section  of  the  thirteenth  chapter  of  the 
General  Statutes,  and  all  laws  or  parts  of  laws  now  in  force,  limiting 
the  number  of  the  volunteer  militia,  are  hereby  repealed. 

SKCT.  3.    Tliis  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage. 


LEGISLATIVE    PROCEEDINGS.  29 

The  resolves  to  appoint  commissioners  to  attend  a  convention 
to  be  held  in  Washington,  Feb.  5,  were  approved  by  the  Gov 
ernor,  and  were  as  follows  :  — 

"  Whereas,  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  is  desirous  of  a  full 
and  free  conference  with  the  General  Government,  and  with  any  or  all 
of  the  other  States  of  the  Union,  at  any  time  and  on  every  occasion, 
when  such  conference  may  promote  the  welfare  of  the  country ;  and 

"  Whereas  questions  of  grave  moment  have  arisen  touching  the 
powers  of  the  Government,  and  the  relations  between  the  different 
States  of  the  Union ;  and 

"  Whereas  the  State  of  Virginia  has  expressed  a  desire  to  meet  her 
sister  States  in  convention  at  Washington ;  therefore  — 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Governor  of  this  Commonwealth,  by  and  with 
the  advice  and  consent  of  the  Council,  be,  and  he  hereby  is,  authorized 
to  appoint  seven  persons  as  commissioners,  to  proceed  to  Washington 
to  confer  with  the  General  Government,  or  with  the  separate  States, 
or  with  any  association  of  delegates  from  such  States,  and  to  report 
their  doings  to  the  Legislature  at  its  present  session  ;  it  being  expressly 
declared,  that  their  acts  shall  be  at  all  times  under  the  control,  and 
subject  to  the  approval  or  rejection,  of  the  Legislature." 

On  the  same  day,  Feb.  5,  the  Governor,  with  the  consent  of 
the  Council,  appointed  the  following  named  gentlemen  as  com 
missioners  :  — 

Hon.  JOHN  Z.  GOODRICH,  of  Stockbridge. 
Hon.  CHARLES  ALLEN,  of  Worcester. 
Hon.  GEORGE  S.  BOUTWELL,  of  Groton. 
Hon.  FRANCIS  B.  CROWNINSHIELD,  of  Boston. 
THEOPHILUS  P.  CHANDLER,  Esq.,  of  Brookline. 
JOHN  M.  FORBES,  Esq.,  of  Milton. 
RICHARD  P.  WATERS,  Esq.,  of  Beverly. 

These  gentleman  immediately  proceeded  to  Washington,  and 
took  part  in  the  deliberations  of  the  "Peace  Congress."  It  was 
a  very  able  delegation. 

There  was  great  interest  felt  in  regard  to  the  action  of  the 
Peace  Congress,  and  how  far  its  acts  would  bind  the  States 
which  the  delegates  represented. 

Feb.  8.  In  the  House. — Mr.  Albee,  of  Marlborough, 
offered  the  following  resolution  :  — 


30  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

"  That  our  commissioners  at  Washington  are  hereby  instructed  to 
use  every  effort  to  prevent  the  adoption  of  the  Critteuden  Compro 
mise,  or  any  similar  proposition,  by  the  Convention  now  in  session  in 
Washington." 

Passed, — yeas  112,  nays  27;  and  the  Governor  was  re 
quested  to  forward  a  copy  to  each  of  the  commissioners. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  House,  the  members  retained 
their  seats,  and  the  Clerk  read  the  following  communica 
tion  :  — 

Extract  from  the  Proceedings  of  the  House  of  Representatives  of  South 
Carolina,  Jan.  23,  1861. 

"'Mr.  Plolland  offered  the  following,  which  were  unanimously 
adopted :  — 

"Whereas  a  certain  Mr.  Tyler,  of  Boston,  has  introduced  a  resolution 
in  the  Massachusetts  Legislature,  *  that,  in  view  of  the  great  suffering  in 
South  Carolina,  the  immediate  consequence  of  the  citizens  of  that  State 
acting  under  a  mistaken  idea  of  their  rights  and  obligations,  and  in  view  of 
the  abundance  of  this  Commonwealth,  a  sum  be  appropriated  from  the  State 
treasury,  to  be  invested  in  provisions  and  stores  for  the  relief  of  our  suffer 
ing  fellow-countrymen  of  that  State  ; '  therefore  be  it  — 

"Resolved,  That  the  report  now  current  in  Massachusetts  or  elsewhere, 
that  any  part  of  South  Carolina  is  suffering,  or  likely  to  suffer,  for  the  want 
of  provisions,  is  a  lie  as  black  as  hell,  and  originated  nowhere  but  amongst 
negro-worshippers  at  the  North. 

"Resolved,  That  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  be  respectfully  re 
quested  to  appropriate  the  money  to  the  relief  of  her  own  suffering, 
starving,  poor  thousands. 

"Resolved,  That  we  can  attend  to  our  own  affairs  without  the  aid  of 
Massachusetts." 

Mr.  Speaker,  —  The  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  the  proceedings 
of  the  South  Carolina  Legislature.  You  are  respectfully  requested  to 
have  them  read  in  open  session. 

W.  F.  COY  KENDALL,  Assistant  Clerk. 

March  19.  In  the  House. — Mr.  Tyler,  of  Boston,  from 
the  Committee  on  Finance,  reported  a  resolve  relating  to  the 
equipment  of  troops  for  active  service  in  a  new  draft,  reducing 
the  sum  from  $35,000  to  125,000;  which,  on  motion  of  Mr. 
Jewell,  of  Boston,  was  referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Militia, 
with  instructions  "  to  inquire  and  report  whether  any  contracts 
have  been  made  or  liabilities  incurred  in  regard  to  any  of  the 


LEGISLATIVE   PROCEEDINGS.  31 

matters  mentioned  in  the  resolve ;  and,  if  so,  what  and  when, 
and  by  what  officer,  and  under  what  authority." 

March  23.  In  the  House. — Mr.  Coffin,  of  Newbury- 
port  from  the  Committee  on  the  Militia,  reported  that  the 
resolve  for  the  equipment  of  troops  for  active  service  ought 
to  pass  ;  also  the  following  communication  from  the  Adjutant- 
General  :  — 

BOSTON,  March  21,  1861. 
Colonel  FREDERICK  J.  COFFIN,  House  of  Representatives. 

SIR,  —  In  answer  to  the  inquiry  made  by  the  Honorable  House  of 
Representatives,  "  whether  any  contracts  have  been  made  or  liabilities 
incurred  in  regard  to  any  of  the  matters  mentioned  in  the  resolve  re 
ported  to  the  House,  relating  to  the  equipment  of  troops  for  active 
service,  and,  if  so,  when,  and  by  what  authority,"  I  have  the  honor  to 
say :  — 

Under  the  direction  of  His  Excellency  the  Governor  and  the  Hon 
orable  Council,  the  following  contracts  have  been  made  by  me  as  Adju 
tant  and  Acting  Quartermaster  General :  — 

1st.  With  the  Middlesex  Company,  Lowell,  for  6,000  yards  of 
cloth,  six-fourths  wide,  to  make  2,000  military  overcoats,  at  $1.37  a 
yard. 

2d.  With  William  Deacon,  to  make  2,000  military  overcoats  at 
$2.15  each,  he  finding  the  trimmings,  except  the  buttons. 

3d.  With  James  Boyd  &  Sons,  to  make  1,000  knapsacks,  army 
pattern,  and  with  Edward  A.  G.  Roulstone,  to  make  1,000  knapsacks, 
army  pattern,  severally  at  $1.88  each. 

4th.  With  Converse,  Harding,  &  Co.,  for  1,000  pairs  of  blankets, 
army  size,  at  $3.75  a  pair. 

5th.  With  the  Rubber  Clothing  Company,  Beverly,  for  2,000  haver 
sacks,  at  75  cents  each. 

6th.  The  buttons  for  the  coats  have  been  contracted  for  with  the 
manufacturer  at  Attleborough,  and  will  cost  about  $740. 

7th.  I  was  also  authorized  to  contract  for  200,000  ball-cartridges  to 
suit  the  new  rifled  musket.  The  lowest  market  price  for  these 
cartridges  is  $14  a  thousand.  At  the  State  Arsenal,  at  Cambridge, 
there  have  been  for  many  years  upwards  of  200,000  musket-balls 
suitable  for  the  old  smooth-bore  musket.  I  have  caused  these  to  be 
recast,  and  the  cartridges  made  at  the  Arsenal ;  so  that  the  entire  cost 
to  the  Commonwealth  for  the  200,000  new  musket  cartridges  will  not 
exceed  $1,500. 

The  aggregate  cost  to  the  Commonwealth  to  fulfil  these  contracts 


32  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

will  be  $23,770 ;  to  which  should  be  added  $150  to  pay  a  proper  per 
son  or  persons  to  inspect  the  work  when  finished,  to  ascertain  whether 
the  parties  contracted  with  have  faithfully  fulfilled  their  several  agree 
ments.  The  resolve  appropriating  $25,000  will  cover  the  entire 
expense,  and  will  leave  a  surplus  sufficient  to  purchase  300,000  per 
cussion  caps,  which  it  will  be  necessary  to  buy,  if  the  troops  of  the 
Commonwealth  are  called  into  active  service. 

With  great  respect,  I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER, 
Adjutant  and  Acting  Quartermaster  General. 

Monday,  March  25.  In  Senate.  — A  message  was  received 
from  the  Governor,  transmitting  a  report  of  the  commissioners 
appointed  to  represent  the  Commonwealth  in  the  Peace  Con 
gress  at  Washington,  which  was  read.  Without  taking  action, 
the  Senate  adjourned. 

The  report  gave  a  careful  record  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  Convention,  which  commenced  its  sessions  in  Washing 
ton  on  the  4th  of  February,  and  adjourned  on  the  27th  of 
the  same  month.  It  sat  with  closed  doors,  and  no  full  or 
consecutive  report  of  its  proceedings  was  ever  made.  It  ap 
pears,  however,  from  the  report  of  our  Commissioners,  that 
most  of  the  time  was  consumed  in  considering  seven  distinct 
propositions  for  amending  the  Federal  Constitution,  each  of 
which  was  intended  to  strengthen  the  institution  of  slavery, 
by  giving  it  additional  guarantees  and  enlarged  privileges. 
These  propositions  were  reported  by  a  committee  composed 
of  one  from  each  State  represented.  Mr.  Guthrie,  of  Ken 
tucky,  was  made  chairman.  Massachusetts  was  represented  on 
the  committee  by  Mr.  Crowninshield,  who  appears  to  have 
called  for  a  specific  statement  of  the  grievances  complained  of 
by  the  discontented  States.  This  request  led  to  discussion,  but 
failed  to  obtain  the  desired  information.  Mr.  Guthrie's  report 
was  adopted  by  the  committee  by  a  majority  of  five,  but  the 
report,  as  a  whole,  never  received  the  sanction  of  a  majority  of 
the  Convention.  Massachusetts  voted  against  all  of  the  propo 
sitions  except  the  last,  and  on  that,  the  delegation  declined  to 
vote,  either  for  or  against.  As  this  Congress  failed  to  accom 
plish  any  practical  purpose,  or  to  make  an  impression  upon  the 


FORTIFICATIONS    IN   THE    STATE.  33 

country,  either  for  good  or  for  evil,  it  is  not  necessary  at  this 
late  day  to  exhume  from  its  secret  records  the  crude  conceits  and 
extravagant  demands  which  were  pressed  by  Southern  members, 
by  which  they  hoped  to  prevent  civil  war,  but  which,  if  adopted, 
would  have  added  strength  and  permanency  to  slavery,  which 
was  the  weakness  and  the  crime  of  the  republic,  and  the  fruit 
ful  cause  of  all  our  national  woes.  It  does  not  appear  that  the 
Massachusetts  members  submitted  any  plan  of  adjustment,  but 
contented  themselves  with  debating  such  as  were  offered  by 
others,  and  voting  as  their  judgments  dictated. 

Same  day.  In  the  House.  —  Colonel  Coffin,  of  Newbury- 
port,  introduced  a  bill  to  limit  the  number  of  privates  in  infan 
try  and  rifle  companies  to  fifty,  except  when,  in  the  opinion  of 
the  Governor,  the  number  should  be  extended  to  sixty-four, 
which  was  subsequently  passed. 

The  bill  also  to  provide  for  the  equipment  of  troops  in  active 
service  was  passed  to  be  engrossed. 

AprilS.  In  the  House. — The  Committee  on  the  Militia 
reported  it  was  inexpedient  to  legislate  upon  the  appointment 
of  a  commissary  and  surgeon-general,  and  of  amending  chap 
ter  13,  section  144,  of  the  General  Statutes,  in  relation  to  the 
mileage  of  the  militia. 

April  5.  In  Senate. — A  resolve  in  favor  of  calling  a  na 
tional  convention  was  discussed.  It  was  opposed  by  Mr. 
Whiting,  of  Plymouth,  and  Mr.  Walker,  of  Worcester,  and 
advocated  by  Mr.  Northend,  of  Essex,  and  Mr.  Hardy,  of 
Norfolk.  It  was  finally,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Davis,  of  Bristol, 
referred  to  the  next  Legislature. 

The  session  closed  Thursday,  April  11,  1861. 

The  most  important  acts  of  the  session,  having  for  their 
object  the  preparation  of  the  State  for  war,  were  "  the  act 
in  relation  to  the  volunteer  militia,"  the  appropriating  of 
1100,000  as  an  emergency  fund,  and  of  $25,000  to  provide 
overcoats  and  equipage  for  2,000  men.  The  militia  law  of 
the  General  Statutes  limited  the  active  militia  to  5,000  men  : 
the  act  already  quoted  gave  the  Governor  authority  to  organize 
as  many  companies  and  regiments  as  the  public  exigency  might 

require. 

3 


34  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

While  the  Legislature  was  considering  and  passing  prepara 
tory  measures,  the  Governor  was  not  idle.  A  constant  corre 
spondence  was  kept  up  with  our  members  of  Congress  and  the 
Governors  of  other  States.  Leading  merchants,  and  other  gen 
tlemen  of  experience  and  wisdom,  were  daily  consulted.  The 
militia  was  strengthened.  A  cipher  key  was  arranged,  to  be 
used  in  transmitting  messages  which  required  secrecy. 

The  defenceless  condition  of  the  forts  in  Boston  harbor  was 
considered.  In  Fort  Warren  there  was  but  one  gun  ;  in  Fort 
Winthrop  none  at  all;  and,  in  Fort  Independence,  hardly 
twenty  guns,  and  most  of  them  were  trained  on  the  city  itself. 
The  casemates  were  unfit  for  human  occupation.  The  grounds 
inside  the  forts  were  covered  with  workshops  and  wooden  shan 
ties  ;  and,  instead  of  being  a  defence  to  the  city  and  harbor, 
the  fortifications  of  Boston  were  a  standing  menace  to  them, 
and  invited  seizure  by  the  enemy.  The  entire  coast  of  Massa 
chusetts  was  open  to  attack  from  sea ;  not  a  fort  or  an  earth 
work  or  a  gun  was  in  proper  condition.  There  were  neither 
officers  nor  troops  in  garrison.  Our  entire  reliance,  should 
war  come,  was  in  the  patriotism  of  the  militia  and  the  people 
of  the  Commonwealth. 

If  troops  were  to  be  sent  to  Washington,  the  best  and  safest 
way  of  forwarding  them  was  a  question  for  discussion.  Two 
Southern  States  lay  between  Boston  and  Washington  ;  which, 
in  case  of  civil  war,  were  as  likely  to  array  themselves  against 
the  Government  as  for  it.  The  danger  of  sending  troops 
through  Baltimore  was  very  fully  considered.  The  ease  with 
which  the  passage  of  the  Susquehanna  could  be  impeded,  and 
the  long  railroad  bridges  over  the  creeks  between  that  river 
and  Baltimore  destroyed,  was  foreseen,  and  on  the  other  hand 
the  facility  with  which  the  approach  by  transports  up  the 
Potomac  could  be  stopped  by  batteries,  seemed  to  render  that 
route  impracticable.  A  meeting  was  held  in  the  Governor's 
room  on  the  2d  of  February,  and  was  adjourned  to  the  6th,  at 
which  Major-Generals  Sutton,  Morse,  and  Andrews,  of  the  State 
militia  ;  Colonel  Thayer,  U.S.A.  ;  the  Adjutant-General  of  the 
State  ;  the  aides-de-camp  of  His  Excellency  ;  and  others,  were 
present. 


CONSULTATIONS    IN    GOVERNOR'S    ROOM.  35 

Colonel  Henry  Lee,  of  Governor  Andrew's  staff,  in  a  letter 
dated  July  9,  1867,  to  me,  says,  — 

u  With  regard  to  the  preparations  for  war  made  by  Governor  An 
drew,  I  recollect,  for  my  part,  collecting  information  respecting  steam 
ers,  and  reporting  the  names  and  capacities  and  whereabouts  of  all 
which  plied  between  Boston  and  other  ports,  on  Feb.  2,  1861.  On 
Feb.  4,  the  Governor  called  a  meeting  at  his  chamber  in  the  State 
House,  at  which  were  present  some  of  the  chief  officers  of  the  militia  : 
also,  General  Thayer,  of  the  United-States  Engineers,  and  Messrs.  Gor 
don  and  Andrews,  ex-United-States-army  officers,  both  major-generals 
of  volunteers  in  the  late  war.  I  recorded  the  replies,  and  drew  up  a 
memorandum  of  the  items  of  clothing,  equipment,  arms,  and  ammuni 
tion  needed,  to  prepare  the  militia  for  service  in  the  field. 

"  On  Feb.  6,  a  second  meeting  was  called  by  the  Governor.  I  cannot 
remember  distinctly  how  much  of  the  discussion  took  place  at  the  first, 
and  what  at  the  second ;  but  the  result  of  the  two  was,  the  Governor's 
order  for  two  thousand  overcoats,  equipments,  &c.,  which  was  for  two 
months  the  subject  of  so  much  ridicule.  Feb.  9,  a  report  was  made  by 
the  Committee  on  Militia,  of  the  Council,  and  a  communication  re 
ceived  by  His  Excellency  from  the  Adjutant- General,  giving  estimates 
for  clothing  and  equipments  for  two  thousand  troops  in  service." 

The  same  order  passed  by  the  Council  referred  to  by  Colonel 
Lee,  respecting  the  overcoats,  speaks  also  of  forwarding  troops 
to  Washington,  "the  mode  of  transit  to  be  governed  by  circum 
stances  that  may  arise  hereafter ;  rail  being  preferred,  if  practi 
cable." 

Immediately  after  the  meeting  on  the  2d  of  February,  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  detailed  Colonel  Ritchie,  of  his  staff,  to  visit 
Washington,  to  confer  confidentially  with  the  Massachusetts 
senators  and  representatives,  and  General  Scott,  in  regard  to 
the  prospect  of  a  requisition  being  made  for  troops,  and  espe 
cially  to  learn  from  the  general  by  what  route  in  case  of  such  a 
call  he  would  wish  the  troops  to  be  sent,  and  whether  they 
would  have  to  carry  field  equipage  with  them.  He  arrived  at 
Washington  on  the  6th  ;  and,  on  that  evening,  wrote  to  the 
Governor  as  follows  :  — 

WASHINGTON,  D.C.,  Wednesday,  Feb.  G,  1861. 

I  received  your  instructions  on  Monday,  at  1,  P.M.  I  found,  that,  if  I 
left  Boston  that  afternoon,  I  could  get  here  on  Tuesday  evening,  but  too 


36  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

late  to  attend  to  any  business.  I  therefore  determined  to  start  on 
Tuesday  morning,  which  gave  me  an  opportunity  of  discussing  the  ob 
jects  of  my  mission  with  Colonel  Sargent,  who  took  the  same  train  as 
far  as  Springfield,  Mass.,  and  enabled  me  to  reach  this  city  this  morn 
ing  by  daybreak. 

Immediately  after  breakfast,  I  called  on  the  Hon.  Charles  Sunnier. 
He  at  once  understood  the  object  of  my  mission,  and  favored  me  with 
a  statement  on  the  present  state  of  affairs.  I  also  met  him  again  later 
in  the  day  in.  the  Senate  Chamber,  when  he  went  over  again,  with  me, 
the  same  ground. 

He  gives  as  serious  an  account  of  the  conspiracy  to  take  possession 
of  this  city  by  the  secessionists  as  any  you  have  received  ;  but  he  thinks 
the  danger  has  been  steadily  diminishing  since  the  2d  of  January,  — 
the  day  on  which  the  President  gave  General  Scott  power  to  concen 
trate  troops  for  the  defence  of  the  capital.  The  President  has  had 
several  relapses  since  that  date ;  and  at  times  has  seemed  about  to 
recall  all  the  confidence  he  had  placed  in  General  Scott,  and  oblige  him 
to  undo  all  that  had  been  done.  The  most  extraordinary  scenes  have 
taken  place  in  the  Cabinet :  only  last  week  it  was  on  the  point  of 
breaking  up  entirely,  and  the  danger  seemed  to  be  as  great  again  as 
at  any  previous  time ;  but  the  general  has  triumphed  in  all  particu 
lars,  excepting  in  his  desire  to  have  the  militia  of  the  Northern  States 
called  out :  to  that  the  President  will  not  even  now  consent. 

Mr.  Sumner  thinks  there  was  a  crisis  in  the  Cabinet  last  week,  and 
that,  even  after  the  general  had  overcome  the  hesitation  of  the  Presi 
dent,  there  was  a  most  serious  danger  to  be  apprehended  from  the 
revolutionary  threats  of  the  Democratic  leaders  in  Maryland,  in  which 
the  leaders  of  both  wings  of  the  Democratic  party  united.  He  thinks, 
however,  that,  the  first  schemes  of  the  conspirators  having  been  discon 
certed,  there  was  nothing  to  be  apprehended  in  the  way  of  an  attack  upon 
this  city,  unless  the  conspirators  should  have  been  enabled  to  lean  upon 
State  authority  for  their  action.  Therefore  he  thinks  that  the  result 
of  the  election  of  delegates  to  the  convention  in  Virginia  has  postponed 
the  danger  from  this  source.  He  is  convinced  that  the  conspirators 
counted  upon  a  different  result  in  Virginia ;  that,  by  the  18th,  the 
Virginia  Convention  would  have  pronounced  for  secession ;  and  that 
they  were  therefore  safe  in  calling  the  Maryland  Convention  for  that 
day,  being  sure  that  in  that  event  Maryland  would  follow  suit.  If  the 
result  of  the  Virginia  election  had  been  in  favor  of  the  secessionists, 
the  attack  on  the  Capitol  might  have  been  carried  out  without  waiting 
for  the  formal  action  of  the  Virginia  Convention.  Mr.  Sumner  now 
thinks  there  is  no  immediate  danger  to  be  feared  of  such  an  attack. 


COLONEL    RITCHIE    AT    WASHINGTON.  37 

He  is  by  no  means  confident  of  the  determination  to  which  that  con 
vention  will  ultimately  come,  but  thinks  that  a  delay  has  been  gained 
which  will  carry  us  over  the  4th  of  March  in  safety.  Mr.  Adams  and 
Mr.  Seward,  with  both  of  whom  I  have  had  long  conversations,  agree 
with  Mr.  Sumner  fully  as  to  any  danger  of  an  immediate  attack.  Mr. 
Seward  thinks  all  danger  is  past.  Mr.  Sumner  thinks  Mr.  Seward  has 
never  been  aware  of  the  real  peril ;  and  is  evidently  of  the  opinion 
that  the  crisis  is  only  postponed.  Mr.  Adams  thinks  there  will  be  no 
need  of  troops  before  the  6th  of  March,  but  thinks  we  shall  have  to 
fight  after  that  date. 

Mr.  Sumner  thinks  Congress  would  be  now  sitting  in  Independence 
Hall,  Philadelphia,  but  for  General  Scott's  action.  Mr.  Seward  seems 
to  think  this  concentration  of  troops  has  been  unnecessary.  General 
Wilson  appears  to  be  of  the  opinion  that  Massachusetts  and  New  York 
will  have  to  furnish  money,  but  doubts  if  they  will  be  called  upon  for 
any  troops.  Mr.  Seward  urged  me  to  write  to  you,  and  beg  you  to 
secure  the  passage  of  the  resolutions  by  which  Massachusetts  would 
endorse  the  bonds  of  the  United  States  to  the  extent  of  the  deposit  of 
surplus  revenue  in  her  hands,  made  in  1837.  He  says  this  is  all  they 
now  ask  of  Massachusetts ;  that  she  will  never  have  to  pay  a  cent  on 
account  of  such  indorsement,  but  that  the  indorsement  must  be  given, 
as  the  new  Administration  will  be  without  funds.  I  have  also  con 
versed  with  Mr.  Burlingame,  Mr.  Thayer,  and  Mr.  Alley,  of  Massa 
chusetts,  and  particularly  with  Mr.  Stanton,  of  Ohio,  the  chairman  of 
the  committee  who  have  been  inquiring  into  this  conspiracy. 

Mr.  Adams,  Mr.  Burlingame,  Mr.  Thayer,  and  Mr.  Stanton,  all 
talked  the  matter  over  together  in  my  presence  ;  and  all  were  of  opin 
ion  that  no  call  would  be  made  on  Massachusetts  before  March  4. 

Mr.  Seward  is  the  only  one  I  have  seen  who  stated  that  he  thought 
all  danger  was  now  at  an  end,  owing  to  the  action  of  Virginia.  And 
even  Mr.  Seward,  at  dinner  this  P.M.,  at  Mr.  Adams',  stated  that  the 
South  must  succumb,  or  we  should  have  to  exterminate  them,  or  they 
would  have  to  exterminate  us.  He  thinks  the  South  are  anxious  to 
creep  out  of  the  movement  of  their  own  creation. 

I  have  had  to  give  you  as  rapid  a  resume  of  the  opinions  of  these 
civilians  as  possible,  as  I  have  hardly  time  to  reach  the  mail.  The 
only  point  of  immediate  importance  is,  that  all  agree  that  there  is  no 
probability  of  an  immediate  call  upon  us  for  militia. 

Mr.  Stanton  thought,  that,  if  a  call  were  made,  it  would  be  for  vol 
unteers  ;  and  that  there  would  be  time  to  enlist  special  regiments  for 
the  war,  as  in  the  Mexican  war.  After  leaving  Mr.  Sumner,  I  called 
on  General  Scott.  He  is  avowedly  very  anxious  even  now,  and  would 


38  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

at  once  call  for  ten  thousand  men,  if  empowered  to  do  so.  He  says 
the  President,  however,  will  never  issue  such  a  requisition.  The 
President  doubts  his  power ;  and,  while  I  was  with  the  general,  Mr. 
Stanton  came  to  consult  with  him  about  a  bill,  which  I  inclose,  intro 
duced  for  the  purpose  of  meeting  this  objection  of  the  President's. 

But  even  if  this  bill  passes,  —  and  it  will  pass,  unless  the  Republi 
cans  are  satisfied  that  the  President  already  possesses  the  power  hereby 
intended  to  be  given  him,  —  still  the  President  thinks  that  a  call 
for  Northern  militia  would  at  once  set  Virginia  and  Maryland  in  a 
blaze. 

They  have  declared  in  Maryland,  only  last  week,  that  the  Susque- 
hanna  should  flow  with  blood,  if  the  attempt  were  made  to  bring  North 
ern  troops  across  it. 

General  Scott  therefore  agrees  that  there  is  no  probability  of  any 
call  being  made  on  you  by  President  Buchanan.  He,  however,  would 
himself  issue  such  a  call  at  once  if  he  had  the  power,  and  would  have 
issued  it  a  month  ago. 

With  Colonel  Keyes,  of  General  Scott's  staff,  I  discussed  all  the 
points  at  length,  which  were  considered  at  the  meeting  of  officers  con 
vened  by  you  on  Monday  last. 

Colonel  Keyes  is  General  Scott's  right-hand  man,  and  is  the  officer 
who  has  been  charged  with  ferreting  out  this  whole  matter.  He  also 
says  there  will  be  no  call  at  present,  but  that  we  must  be  prepared. 
I  telegraphed  at  once,  after  my  interview  with  Mr.  Sumner,  General 
Scott,  and  Colonel  Keyes,  to  Mr.  Albert  G.  Browne,  Jr.,  "  There  is 
not  the  slightest  probability  of  any  immediate  call;  particulars  by 
mail ;  take  no  further  steps."  Colonel  Keyes  approved  of  this  de 
spatch  ;  and  so  did  Messrs.  Sumner,  Wilson,  Adams,  Burlingame,  and 
Thayer. 

Colonel  Keyes  thinks  it  would  not  be  safe  to  come,  either  by  land  or 
by  the  Potomac,  but  that  the  United  States  must  hold  the  forts  at 
Baltimore ;  and  that  the  troops  must  come  by  sea  to  Baltimore,  and 
land  there  under  cover  of  the  forts. 

As  to  this,  however,  as  also  the  other  details,  I  will  give  you  oral 
information ;  and  Colonel  Keyes  will  furnish  me  with  much  at  a  later 
day  to  which  he  could  not  give  answers  at  once.  There  are  also  many 
things  which  will  depend  upon  circumstances  at  the  date  of  the  call. 
I  shall  see  to-morrow  if  affairs  assume  any  different  aspect ;  and,  if  they 
do  not,  I  shall  leave  here  to-morrow  afternoon. 

I  shall  not  think  it  expedient,  under  the  circumstances,  to  approach 
the  Mayor  of  Baltimore. 

Please  excuse  this  hurried  note,  as  I  have  been  writing  to  save  the 


COLONEL    RITCHIE    AT    NEW   YORK.  39 

mail,  and  been  obliged  to  disregard  form.     I  believe  I  have  given  you 
the  substance  of  all  that  I  have  learned  here. 

Your  Excellency's  most  obedient, 

HARRISON  RITCHIE, 
Lieutenant- Colonel  and  Aide-de-Camp. 

P.S.  It  is  thought  that  the  delay  gained  by  the  result  of  the  Vir 
ginia  election  will  give  time  for  at  least  one  thousand  of  the  troops 
from  Texas  to  get  here  before  they  are  wanted.  General  Scott  thinks 
he  can  count  upon  two  thousand  of  the  volunteers  of  this  district. 
Colonel  Keyes  says,  be  prepared ;  organize  your  regiments,  and  drill 
them ;  furnish  them  with  the  new  rifle-musket,  knapsacks,  canteens, 
blankets,  and  proper  clothing,  one  hundred  rounds  of  ammunition  per 
man,  and  a  supply  of  camp-kettles. 

As  to  other  camp  equipage,  it  may  be  necessary :  that  he  cannot  tell 
at  present. 

Colonel  Ritchie  left  Washington  the  next  day,  and,  on  arriv 
ing  at  New  York,  wrote  another  letter  from  that  city,  dated 
February  8th,  in  which  he  discusses  again  the  position  of 
affairs  at  Washington,  and  makes  certain  suggestions  in  regard 
to  getting  troops  to  Washington,  which  in  time  became  of 
great  practical  service  :  — 

"  You  will  have  perceived  by  my  first  letter  that  I  had  already 
made  the  acquaintance  of  Colonel  Keyes.  In  fact  we  became  great 
friends.  When  General  Scott  referred  me  to  his  two  aides,  —  Colonels 
Leigh  and  Keyes,  —  I  made  up  my  mind  after  a  very  short  conversa 
tion,  that  Colonel  Leigh  was  a  man  of  '  Southern  proclivities,'  who 
did  not  look  with  any  favor  upon  my  mission,  though  I  had  a  letter  of 
introduction  to  him  from  a  mutual  friend.  He  was  disposed  I  thought 
to  prevent  my  interview  with  General  Scott,  —  and  interrupt  it  after  I 
had  obtained  it  by  introducing  other  people  and  other  matters,  —  and 
he  showed  evident  marks  of  dissatisfaction  at  my  quiet  persistence 
until  I  had  accomplished  my  object.  Of  course  I  did  not  appear  to 
notice  this.*  Keyes,  on  the  other  hand,  went  into  the  matter  with 
his  whole  heart.  He  said  he  was  bored  to  death  with  inquiries  on 
these  points  — but  where  they  were  direct  and  to  the  point,  he  would 
answer  them  by  the  hour  with  pleasure.  I  had  also  heard  of  Mr. 
Goddard's  errand,  and  conversed  with  him  before  receiving  your 

*  Leigh  afterwards  deserted  to  the  enemy,  taking  with  him  many  of  General 
Scott's  plans  and  confidential  papers. 


40  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Excellency's  note.  I,  however,  had  another  conversation  with  him 
yesterday  morning,  when  he  informed  me  that  the  answer  given  to  his 
request  for  a  detailed  plan,  was,  in  effect,  that  none  such  could  be 
furnished  at  present.  Some  regulars,  one  company  of  artillery  from. 
Augusta,  and  one  company  of  dragoons  from  Carlisle  barracks,  arrived 
yesterday  ;  and,  as  I  believe  I  mentioned  in  my  first,  a  draft  of  infantry 
arrived  at  Washington  in  the  train  in  which  I  reached  the  city. 

"  General  Scott  and  Colonel  Keyes  are  evidently  anxious,  and  would 
like  more  men ;  but  the  President  will  never  issue  the  requisition  .  .  . 
Floyd  has  so  plundered  the  United -States  magazines,  arsenals,  and 
depots  of  munitions  of  war  and  warlike  stores,  that  they  do  not  know 
yet  what  is  left,  and  so  cannot  tell  what  we  must  bring  with  us.  It  is 
clear,  that,  if  we  move,  it  must  be  by  sea,  landing  at  Baltimore  or 
Annapolis  ;  that  pilots  must  be  secured  in  advance,  as  they  will  be 
seized  by  the  secessionists ;  and  that  the  ships  must  go  to  sea  with 
sealed  orders,  while  a  false  destination  is  publicly  reported. 

"  I  shall  take  the  liberty  to  recommend  one  other  caution,  to  be 
adjusted  when  I  can  speak  with  you  in  private,  and  which  actual  expe 
rience  has  shown  me  is  necessary,  if  you  desire  that  certain  Boston 
papers  should  not  divulge  all  your  plans,  as  they  have  done  hitherto. 
On  Thursday  morning  (yesterday),  I  saw  Mr.  Sumner,  Mr.  Wilson, 
Mr.  Burlingame,  Mr.  Adams,  and  others.  They  had  nothing  new  to 
communicate,  but  adhere  to  their  conviction,  that  there  is  no  prospect, 
or  possibility  indeed,  of  an  immediate  call  upon  you.  I  mentioned  in 
my  first,  that  Mr.  Seward  was  the  only  person  I  saw  who  pretended 
to  think  the  danger  more  than  postponed.  I  happened  to  be  present 
at  a  conversation  between  him  and  some  of  his  most  intimate  and  con 
fidential  friends,  when  he  evidently  spoke  out  his  sincere  conviction. 
I  was  much  impressed  with  what  he  said,  which  satisfied  me  that  his 
optimist  views  are  assumed,  as  necessary  in  his  relation  to  the  new 
Administration,  and  that  in  reality  he  is  no  more  hopeful  than  Mr. 
Sumner.  I  will  repeat  his  remark  to  you  on  my  return.  Mr.  Adams 
also  heard  this  remark ;  and  when  I  asked  him,  yesterday,  if  he  no 
ticed  it,  he  seemed  surprised  at  my  having  marked  it  also,  and  con 
fessed  that  it  impressed  him  very  forcibly. 

"  Mr.  Adams  was  on  his  way  to  find  me  yesterday,  as  I  was  going 
to  his  house.  He  came  to  ask  me  to  inform  your  Excellency  that  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  had  sent  for  him  that  morning,  to  beg  him 
to  urge  upon  you  the  extreme  importance  of  our  Legislature  passing 
the  resolves  authorizing  the  indorsement  by  Massachusetts  of  the  bonds 
of  the  United  States  to  the  amount  of  the  shares  of  the  surplus 


LETTER    OF    SECRETARY    SEWARD.  41 

revenue  deposited  with  her  in  1837.  Mr.  Adams  said  that  the  Secre 
tary  wished  to  issue  his  proposals  on  Monday,  if  possible,  and  hoped 
these  resolves  would  be  passed  before  that  time. 

"  I  told  Mr.  Adams  that  Mr.  Seward  and  Mr.  Wilson  had  impressed 
me  with  the  importance  of  this  on  the  previous  day,  and  that  I  had 
conveyed  their  request  already  to  your  Excellency.  Mr.  Adams  then 
said  I  could  do  no  more,  and  that  he  would  write  to  you  at  once.  I, 
however,  saw  Mr.  Wilson  about  it  yesterday  morning,  and  he  said  he 
would  consult  the  Massachusetts  delegation  yesterday,  if  possible,  and 
get  them  all  to  sign  a  letter  to  you  on  the  subject,  for  you  to  show  to 
the  Legislature. 

"  I  should  mention  that  I  called  the  attention  of  our  delegation  to 
the  unsatisfactory  state  of  the  United-States  militia  laws,  and  the  ques 
tions  that  have  arisen  with  us  already.  I  left  a  copy  of  Lothrop's 
opinion  with  Mr.  Wilson.  He  will  read  it,  and  read  again  the  debates 
in  our  Constitutional  Convention,  and  see  what  can  be  done.  They 
all  saw  the  delicacy  of  the  points,  and  their  importance,  and  will  do 
what  they  can. 

"  Finding  I  could  do  nothing  more,  I  decided  to  leave  Washington 
last  night,  though,  for  my  own  pleasure,  I  should  have  liked  to  have 
remained  some  time  longer  at  the  centre  of  action  in  this  great  crisis. 
I  accordingly  came  here  last  night.  We  were  detained  by  ice  and  the 
extreme,  savage  cold ;  and  I  found  this  morning  that  my  baggage, 
though  properly  checked  and  shipped  at  Washington,  had  not  come 
through  ;  indeed,  none  of  the  baggage  did.  This  will  detain  me  here ; 
but  I  can  only  repeat  in  more  detail  what  I  have  already  written  to 
your  Excellency,  when  I  have  the  pleasure  of  reporting  my  return  to 
you  in  person.  I  hope  your  Excellency  will  not  think  my  journey 
has  proved  entirely  unprofitable.  I  think,  at  any  rate,  that  an  under 
standing  and  communication  has  been  opened  that  may  prove  very 
useful  in  the  future." 

In  connection  with  the  letters  of  Colonel  Ritchie,  the  follow 
ing  extract  from  a  letter  addressed  to  me  by  Secretary  Seward, 
dated  Washington,  June  13,  1867,  is  of  interest  and  impor 
tance  :  — 

"In  regard  to  February,  1861,  I  need  only  say,  that,  at  the  time 
the  secession  leaders  were  all  in  the  Senate  and  House,  with  power 
enough,  and  only  wanting  an  excuse,  to  get  up  a  resistance  in  the 
capital  to  the  declaration  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  election  and  to  his  inaugu 
ration  ;  in  other  words,  to  have  excuse  and  opportunity  to  open  the 


42  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

civil  war  here  before  the  new  Administration  and  new  Congress  could 
be  in  authority  to  subdue  it.  I  desired  to  avoid  giving  them  that  advan 
tage.  I  conferred  throughout  with  General  Scott  and  Mr.  Stanton,  then 
in  Mr.  Buchanan's  Cabinet.  I  presume  I  conversed  with  others  in  a 
way  that  seemed  to  me  best  calculated  to  leave  the  inauguration  of  a  war 
to  the  secessionists,  and  to  delay  it,  in  any  case,  until  the  new  Admin 
istration  should  be  in  possession  of  the  Government.  It  was  less 
military  demonstration  that  was  wanted  at  that  particular  moment 
than  political  discretion. 

"  Discretion  taught  two  duties  ;  namely,  to  awaken  patriotism  in  the 
North,  and  to  get  the  secessionists,  with  Buchanan's  Administration, 
out  of  Washington.  Mr.  Adams  well  and  thoroughly  understood  me. 
On  the  22d  of  February,  in  concert  with  Mr.  Stanton,  I  caused  the 
United-States  flag  to  be  displayed  throughout  all  the  Northern  and 
Western  portions  of  the  United  States." 

Colonel  Ritchie  did  not  leave  Washington  until  he  had  come 
to  a  definite  understanding  in  regard  to  the  route  by  which  to 
forward  troops  to  Washington,  should  a  call  for  them  be  made. 
He  had  been  cordially  received  by  General  Scott,  to  whom  the 
purpose  of  his  mission  was  made  known,  and  he  was  referred 
to  Colonel  Keyes  of  General  Scott's  staff  for  information  upon 
matters  of  detail.  It  was  then  arranged,  that,  in  case  of  a  call, 
the  troops  should  be  forwarded  by  sea  to  Annapolis  or  Balti 
more.  Colonel  Keyes  stated,  that  all  other  routes  to  Washing 
ton  would  be  unsafe;  that,  for  this  reason,  General  Scott  had 
placed  an  officer  in  command  of  Fort  McHenry  in  Baltimore 
Harbor,  upon  whom  he  could  rely  to  hold  it  to  the  utmost. 
Immediate  measures  were  taken  by  the  Governor  to  have  the 
necessary  transports  in  readiness,  and  Colonel  Lee,  of  his  staff, 
was  detailed  to  attend  to  this  duty.  The  following '  extract 
from  a  letter  dated  Boston,  Feb.  2,  1861,  addressed  to  the 
Governor,  by  Colonel  Lee,  relates  a  conversation  he  had  held 
that  day  with  John  M.  Forbes,  Esq.,  in  regard  to  chartering 
steamers  to  be  used  as  transports,  which  shows  that  the  atten 
tion  of  the  Governor  had  been  given  to  this  subject  before 
Colonel  Ritchie  had  returned  from  Washington  :  — 

"  Mr.  Forbes  assures  me  that  he  and  others  will  have  the  trans 
ports  ready  as  soon  as  the  men  can  be,  waiting  until  orders  come 
before  the  vessel  is  chartered,  so  as  to  keep  as  quiet  as  possible.  And 


MEETING    IN    CAMBRIDGE.  43 

he  thinks,  with  me,  that  we  had  better  wait  for  New  York,  as  we  can 
get  ready  and  move  quicker ;  and  any  forwardness  on  the  part  of 
Massachusetts  would  be  more  offensive  than  that  of  New  York.  He 
urges  also  to  write  or  telegraph  to  General  Scott,  that  we  can 
at  once  send  three  hundred  men  to  relieve  the  garrison  at  For 
tress  Monroe,  if  he  desires  to  have  the  present  garrison  march  to 
Washington.  The  cost  of  steamer  per  month,  with  crew,  would  be 
three  to  four  thousand  dollars,  probably.  I  send  a  list  in  order  of 
merit." 

A  very  large  and  respectable  meeting  of  the  citizens  of  Bos 
ton  was  held  in  Faneuil  Hall,  on  the  5th  of  February,  to 
indorse  the  resolutions  of  Mr.  Crittenden,  of  Kentucky,  in 
favor  of  a  compromise  with  the  South.  J.  Thomas  Stevenson, 
Esq.,  presided,  and  made  a  strong  and  able  speech  in  favor  of 
compromise,  in  the  course  of  which  he  said  "  he  would  almost 
pray  for  a  foreign  war,  that  it  might  bind  us  again  as  one,  and 
prevent  the  shedding  of  fraternal  blood.  He  would  give  up 
every  thing  but  honor."  B.  R.  Curtis,  Esq.,  ex-judge  of  the 
United-States  Supreme  Court,  made  the  leading  speech,  which 
was  received  with  great  favor.  The  resolutions  were  read  by 
Colonel  Jonas  French .  Speeches  were  made  by  Mr.  Wight- 
man,  mayor  of  the  city,  Mr.  Saltonstall,  Mr.  G.  S.  Hillard, 
and  others,  some  of  whom  afterwards  distinguished  themselves 
as  officers  in  the  war. 

This  meeting  spoke  the  sentiments  of  the  conservative  citi 
zens,  who  regarded  war  and  disunion  as  evils  greater  than  the 
existence  of  slavery,  or  even  of  its  further  extension  ;  and  yet 
they  were  anti-slavery  men,  and  regarded  slavery  as  a  great 
moral  and  political  wrong,  and  would  gladly  have  seen  it  abol 
ished. 

A  few  days  later,  on  the  llth  of  February,  a  great  meeting 
was  held  in  Cambridge.  The  City  Hall  was  crowded.  The  meet 
ing  was  called  without  distinction  of  party.  Hon.  John  G. 
Palfrey  spoke  briefly.  He  said,  "  South  Carolina  has  marshalled 
herself  into  revolution  ;  and  six  States  have  followed  her,  and 
abandoned  our  Government."  Richard  H.  Dana,  Jr.,  Esq. ,  made 
the  speech  of  the  occasion.  He  said  the  South  was  in  a  state 
of  mutiny  ;  he  was  against  John-Brown  raids,  and  uncompro 
misingly  for  the  Union.  He  was  opposed  to  the  Crittenden 


44  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

compromise,  and  held  to  the  faith  of  Massachusetts.  This 
meeting  uttered  the  sentiments  of  the  majority  of  the  State, 
and  was  designed  as  a  counterblast  to  the  meeting  held  the  week 
before  at  Faneuil  Hall. 

The  speeches  made  and  resolutions  passed  at  these  meetings 
expressed  the  sentiments  of  the  people  of  the  State.  Those  who 
were  at  Faneuil  Hall  would  rather  compromise  the  issues  than 
have  bloodshed  and  civil  war.  The  men  who  were  at  Cam 
bridge  would  risk  the  chance  of  civil  war  rather  than  compro 
mise. 

There  was  another  party,  which,  though  small  in  number, 
was  powerful  in  eloquence,  moral  character,  and  cultivated  in 
tellect.  Its  zeal  never  flagged,  its  leaders  never  faltered.  Its 
hatred  of  slavery  was  chronic.  Its  martyr  spirit  was  felt  and 
acknowledged.  Its  policy  was  aggressive.  It  made  no  com 
promises  ;  it  sought  no  office ;  it  asked  no  favor  ;  and  it  gave 
no  quarter.  This  was  the  abolition  party.  The  leaders  of  it 
were  Mr.  Garrison  and  Mr.  Phillips.  The  Federal  Constitution, 
as  interpreted  by  them,  was  a  pro-slavery  instrument :  they 
would  not,  therefore,  support  it.  The  Union  was  "a  covenant 
with  hell :  "  therefore  they  would  break  it.  For  a  quarter  of 
*a  century  they  had  thus  spoken,  and  consistently  acted,  and 
held  their  ground  up  to  the  very  day  that  the  rebels  fired  on 
Su  inter. 

The  following  extract  from  a  speech  delivered  in  New  Bed 
ford  by  Mr.  Phillips,  on  the  evening  of  the  9th  of  April,  1861, 
is  curious  and  remarkable,  when  we  consider  the  positions  held 
by  that  gentleman  before  the  war,  during  the  war,  and  since 
the  war.  It  shows  that  learned  men  and  orators  are  sometimes 
false  prophets  ;  and  what  is  visible  to  plain  men  is  hid  from 
them  :  — 

"  The  telegraph,"  said  Mr.  Phillips,  "  is  said  to  report  to-night,  that 
the  guns  are  firing,  either  out  of  Fort  Sumter  or  into  it ;  that  to-mor 
row's  breeze,  when  it  sweeps  from  the  North,  will  bring  to  us  the  echo 
of  the  first  Lexington  battle  of  the  new  Revolution.  Well,  what  shall 
we  say  of  such  an  hour  ?  My  own  feeling  is  a  double  one.  It  is  like 
the  triumph  of  sadness,  —  rejoicing  and  sorrow.  I  cannot,  indeed,  con 
gratulate  you  enough  on  the  sublime  spectacle  of  twenty  millions  of 


SPEECH    OF    WENDELL    PHILLIPS.  45 

people  educated  in  a  twelvemonth  up  to  being  willing  that  their  idol 
ized  Union  should  risk  a  battle,  should  risk  dissolution,  in  order,  at  any 
risk,  to  put  down  this  rebellion  of  slave  States. 

"  But  I  am  sorry  that  a  gun  should  be  fired  at  Fort  Sumter,  or  that 
a  gun  should  be  fired  from  it,  for  this  reason :  The  Administration  at 
Washington  does  not  know  its  time.  Here  are  a  series  of  States  gird 
ing  the  Gulf,  who  think  that  their  peculiar  institutions  require  that 
they  should  have  a  separate  government.  They  have  a  right  to  decide 
that  question,  without  appealing  to  you  or  me.  A  large  body  of  people, 
sufficient  to  make  a  nation,  have  come  to  the  conclusion,  that  they  will 
have  a  government  of  a  certain  form.  Who  denies  them  the  right  ? 
Standing  with  the  principles  of  '76  behind  us,  who  can  deny  them  the 
right  ?  What  is  a  matter  of  a  few  millions  of  dollars,  or  a  few  forts  ? 
It  is  a  mere  drop  in  the  bucket  of  the  great  national  question.  It  is 
theirs,  just  as  much  as  ours.  I  maintain,  on  the  principles  of  '76,  that 
Abraham  Lincoln  has  no  right  to  a  soldier  in  F*ort  Sumter. 

"  But  the  question  comes,  secondly,  '  Suppose  we  had  a  right  to  in 
terfere,  what  is  the  good  of  it  ? '  You  may  pimi.-h  South  Carolina  for 
going  out  of  the  Union :  that  does  not  bring  her  in.  You  may  subdue 
her  by  hundreds  of  thousands  of  armies,  but  that  does  not  make  her  a 
State.  There  is  no  longer  a  Union  :  it  is  nothing  but  boy's  play.  Mr. 
Jefferson  Davis  is  angry,  and  Mr.  Abraham  Lincoln  is  mad,  and  they 
agree  to  fight.  One,  two,  or  three  years  hence,  if  the  news  of  the  after 
noon  is  correct,  we  shall  have  gone  through  a  war,  spent  millions,  re-* 
quired  the  death  of  a  hundred  thousand  men,  and  be  exactly  then  where 
we  are  now,  —  two  nations,  a  little  more  angry,  a  little  poorer,  and  a 
great  deal  wiser ;  and  that  will  be  the  only  difference  :  we  may  just  as 
well  settle  it  now  as  then. 

"  You  cannot  go  through  Massachusetts,  and  recruit  men  to  bombard 
Charleston  or  New  Orleans.  The  Northern  mind  will  not  bear  it;  you 
can  never  make  such  a  war  popular.  The  first  onset  may  be  borne ; 
the  telegraph  may  bring  us  news,  that  Anderson  has  bombarded 
Charleston,  and  you  may  rejoice ;  but  the  sober  second  thought  of 
Massachusetts  will  be,  *  wasteful,  unchristian,  guilty.'  The  North  never 
will  indorse  such  a  war.  Instead  of  conquering  Charleston,  you  create 
a  Charleston  in  New  England ;  you  stir  up  sympathy  for  the  South. 
Therefore  it  seems  to  me  that  the  inauguration  of  war  is  not  a  viola 
tion  of  principle,  but  it  is  a  violation  of  expediency. 

"  To  be  for  disunion,  in  Boston,  is  to  be  an  abolitionist :  to  be  against 
disunion  is  to  be  an  abolitionist  to-day,  in  the  streets  of  Charleston. 
Now,  that  very  state  of  things  shows,  that  the  civilization  of  the  two 
cities  is  utterly  antagonistic.  What  is  the  use  of  trying  to  join  them  ? 


\ 

46  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Is  Abraham  Lincoln  capable  of  making  fire  and  powder  lie  down 
together  in  peace  ?  If  he  can,  let  him  send  his  army  to  Fort  Sumter, 
and  occupy  it. 

"  But  understand  me :  I  believe  in  the  Union,  exactly  as  you  do,  in 
the  future.  This  is  my  proposition :  *  Go  out,  gentlemen  ;  you  are  wel 
come  to  your  empire  ;  take  it,'  Let  them  try  the  experiment  of  cheat 
ing  with  one  hand,  and  idleness  with  the  other.  I  know  that  God  has 
written  bankruptcy  over  such  an  experiment.  If  you  cannonade  South 
Carolina,  you  cannonade  her  into  the  sympathy  of  the  world.  I  do 
not  know  now  but  what  a  majority  there  is  on  my  side ;  but  I  know 
this,  that,  if  the  telegraph  speaks  true  to-night,  that  the  guns  are  echo 
ing  around  Fort  Sumter,  that  a  majority  is  against  us ;  for  it  will  con 
vert  every  man  into  a  secessionist.  Besides,  there  is  another  fearful 
element  in  the  problem;  there  is  another  terrible  consideration:  we 
can  then  no  longer  extend  to  the  black  race,  at  the  South,  our  best 
sympathy  and  our  best  aid. 

"  We  stand  to-night  at  the  beginning  of  an  epoch,  which  may  have 
the  peace  or  the  ruin  of  a  generation  in  its  bosom.  Inaugurate  war, 
we  know  not  where  it  will  end ;  we  are  in  no  condition  to  fight.  The 
South  is  poor,  and  we  are  rich.  The  poor  man  can  do  twice  the  injury 
to  the  rich  man,  that  the  rich  man  can  do  the  poor.  Your  wealth  rides 
safely  on  the  bosom  of  the  ocean,  and  New  England  has  its  millions 
afloat.  The  North  whitens  every  sea  with  its  wealth.  The  South  has 
no  commerce,  but  she  can  buy  the  privateers  of  every  race  to  prey  on 
yours.  It  is  a  dangerous  strife  when  wealth  quarrels  with  poverty. 

"  Driven  to  despair,  the  Southern  States  may  be  poor  and  bankrupt, 
but  the  poorest  man  can  be  a  pirate ;  and,  as  long  as  New  England's 
tonnage  is  a  third  of  that  of  the  civilized  world,  the  South  can  punish 
New  England  more  than  New  England  can  punish  her.  We  provoke 
a  strife  in  which  we  are  defenceless.  If,  on  the  contrary,  we  hold  our 
selves  to  the  strife  of  ideas,  if  we  manifest  that  strength  which  despises 
insult  and  bides  its  hour,  we  are  sure  to  conquer  in  the  end. 

"  I  distrust  these  guns  at  Fort  Sumter.  I  do  not  believe  that 
Abraham  Lincoln  means  war.  I  do  not  believe  in  the  madness  of 
the  Cabinet.  Nothing  but  madness  can  provoke  war  with  the  Gulf 
States.  My  suspicion  is  this  :  that  the  Administration  dares  not  com 
promise.  It  trembles  before  the  five  hundred  thousand  readers  of 
the  New- York  <  Tribune.' 

"  But  there  is  a  safe  way  to  compromise.  It  is  this :  seem  to  pro 
voke  war.  Cannonade  the  forts.  What  will  be  the  first  result  ?  New- 
York  commerce  is  pale  with  bankruptcy.  The  affrighted  seaboard 
sees  grass  growing  in  its  streets.  It  will  start  up  every  man  whose 


CONDITION    OF    THE    MILITIA.  47 

livelihood  hangs  upon  trade,  intensifying  him  into  a  compromiser. 
Those  guns  fired  at  Fort  Sumter  are  only  to  frighten  the  North  into  a 
compromise. 

*'  If  the  Administration  provokes  bloodshed,  it  is  a  trick,  —  nothing 
else.  It  is  the  masterly  cunning  of  the  devil  of  compromise,  the 
Secretary  of  State.  He  is  not  mad  enough  to  let  these  States  run  into 
battle.  He  knows  that  the  age  of  bullets  is  over.  If  a  gun  is  fired 
in  Southern  waters,  it  is  fired  at  the  wharves  of  New  York,  at  the 
bank-vaults  of  Boston,  at  the  money  of  the  North.  It  is  meant  to 
alarm.  It  is  policy,  not  sincerity.  It  means  concession ;  and,  in 
twelve  months,  you  will  see  this  Union  reconstructed,  with  a  constitu 
tion  like  that  of  Montgomery. 

"  New  England  may,  indeed,  never  be  coerced  into  a  slave  confed 
eracy.  But  when  the  battles  of  Abraham  Lincoln  are  ended,  and 
compromises  worse  than  Crittenden's  are  adopted,  New  England  may 
claim  the  right  to  secede.  And,  as  sure  as  a  gun  is  fired  to-night  at 
Fort  Sumter,  within  three  years  from  to-day  you  will  see  thirty  States 
gathered  under  a  Constitution  twice  as  damnable  as  that  of  1787. 
The  only  hope  of  liberty  is  fidelity  to  principle,  fidelity  to  peace, 
fidelity  to  the  slave.  Out  of  that  God  gives  us  nothing  but  hope  and 
brightness.  In  blood  there  is  sure  to  be  ruin." 

The  lecture  "  was  interrupted  by  frequent  hisses." 
In  the  preceding  pages,  we  have  sketched  the  position  held 
and  the  measures  adopted  by  Massachusetts  during  the  four 
months  immediately  preceding  the  advent  of  war.  Sumter  had 
been  fired  upon ;  hostilities  had  commenced  ;  nothing  remained 
but  the  arbitrament  of  battle.  By  the  wisdom  and  foresight  of 
her  Governor  and  Legislature,  Massachusetts  was  better  pre 
pared  for  it  than  other  loyal  States.  Her  militia  had  spent  the 
winter  and  spring  nights  in  drilling,  recruiting,  and  organizing. 
The  requirements  of  Order  No.  4  had  been  enforced.  The 
young  men  who  filled  the  ranks  of  the  volunteer  force  had  kept 
alive  the  military  spirit  and  martial  character  of  the  Common 
wealth.  They  had  remained  faithful  to  duty,  despite  the  taunts 
and  jeers  of  open  enemies,  and  the  neglect  and  parsimony  of 
professed  friends.  They  were  now  to  give  the  world  an  exhibition 
of  ready  devotion  and  personal  sacrifice  to  duty  and  country  sel 
dom  equalled  and  never  surpassed  in  any  age  or  nation.  They 
had  been  bred  in  the  delightful  ways  of  peace,  unused  to  war's 


48  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLION. 

alarms  and  the  strifes  of  battle.  The  common  schools  of  Massa 
chusetts  were  their  Alma  Mater.  In  their  homes  by  the  shores 
of  the  sea,  and  in  the  pleasant  fields  and  valleys  of  the  interior, 
they  had  been  nurtured  in  Christian  morals  and  the  ways  of  God. 
They  had  beheld  with  anxiety,  but  without  fear,  the  dark  clouds 
of  war  settling  upon  the  face  of  the  nation,  which  they  knew 
must  be  met  and  dispelled,  or  it  would  remain  no  longer  a 
nation  to  them.  Through  the  long  and  anxious  years  of  the 
war,  they  never  hesitated,  doubted,  or  wavered  in  their  faith  that 
the  Union  would  stand  the  shock  which  menaced  it ;  and  that, 
through  the  sacrifice  of  noble  lives  and  the  baptism  of  precious 
blood,  it  would  emerge  from  the  smoke  and  fire  of  civil  war  with 
unsubdued  strength,  and  with  garments  glittering  all  over  with 
the  rays  of  Liberty.  It  was  to  be  a  contest  between  right 
and  wrong,  law  and  anarchy,  freedom  and  despotism.  He  who 
could  doubt  the  issue  of  such  a  war  could  have  no  abiding 
faith  in  the  immortality  of  American  progress,  or  the  eternal 
justice  of  Christian  civilization. 

On  the  15th  day  of  April,  1861,  Governor  Andrew  received 
a  telegram  from  Washington  to  send  forward  at  once  fifteen 
hundred  men.  The  drum-beat  of  the  long  roll  had  been  struck. 


CHAPTER    II. 

The  Call  for  Troops  —  The  Marblehead  Companies  first  in  Boston  —  The  Excite 
ment  of  the  People  —  Headquarters  of  Regiments  —  Four  Regiments  called 
for  —  General  Butler  to  command  —  New  companies  organized  —  Liberal 
Offers  of  Substantial  Aid  — Dr.  George  H.  Lyman,  Dr.  William  J.  Dale, 
Medical  Service  —  Action  of  the  Boston  Bar — The  Clergy,  Rev.  Mr.  Cud- 
worth  —  The  Women  of  the  State  —  The  Men  of  the  State  —  Liberal  Offers  of 
Service  and  Money  —  Robert  B.  Forbes,  Coast  Guard  —  Colonel  John  H. 
Reed  appointed  Quartermaster  —  The  Personal  Staff —  Executive  Council  — 
Mr.  Crowninshield  appointed  to  purchase  Arms  in  Europe  —  An  Emergency 
Fund  of  Two  Hundred  Thousand  Dollars  —  Letter  of  the  Governor  to  Secre 
tary  Cameron  —  General  Butler  consulted —  The  Route  by  Annapolis  —  Nar 
rative  of  Samuel  M.  Felton  —  Mr.  Lincoln's  Journey  to  Washington  — 
His  Escape  from  Assassination — The  Third  Regiment — Speech  of  Ex- 
Governor  Clifford  —  The  Fourth  Regiment  —  Address  of  Governor  Andrew 
—  Departure  for  Fortress  Monroe  —  The  Sixth  Regiment  —  Departure  for 
Washington  —  Reception  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia  —  The  Eighth  Regi 
ment  —  Departure  —  Speeches  of  Governor  Andrew  and  General  Butler  — 
Reception  on  the  Route  —  Arrival  in  Philadelphia  —  The  Fifth  Regiment 
sails  from  New  York  for  Annapolis  —  Major  Cook's  Light  Battery  ordered  to 
Washington  —  The  Third  Battalion  of  Rifles  sent  forward  —  The  Massachu 
setts  Militia — Arrival  of  the  Third  Regiment  at  Fortress  Monroe  —  Attempt 
to  save  Norfolk  Navy  Yard  —  The  Fourth  Regiment  the  first  to  land  in 
Virginia  —  Fortress  Monroe  —  Big  Bethel — The  Fifth  Regiment— Battle 
of  Bull  Run  —  The  Sixth  Regiment  —  Its  March  through  Baltimore  —  The 
Nineteenth  of  April  —  First  Blood  shed  —  The  Eighth  Regiment  —  Lands  at 
Annapolis  —  Saves  the  Frigate  Constitution  —  Arrives  in  Washington  —  The 
Rifle  Battalion  at  Fort  McHenry  —  Cook's  Battery  at  Baltimore  —  End  of  the 
Three  Months'  Service  —  Conclusion. 

THE  call  for  troops,  mentioned  in  the  last  paragraph  of  the  pre 
ceding  chapter,  came  from  Washington  by  telegraph,  through 
Henry  Wilson,  of  the  United-States  Senate;  which  was  dated 
April  15,  1861,  and  asked  for  twenty  companies,  to  be  sent  on 
separately.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  formal  requisitions  were 
received  from  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Adjutant-General 
of  the  Army  for  two  full  regiments.  By  command  of  Governor 
Andrew,  Special  Order  No.  14  was  immediately  issued  by  the 


50  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Adjutant-General,  and  was  forwarded,  by  mail  and  by  special 
messengers,  to  Colonel  Wardrop  of  the  Third  Regiment,  at 
New  Bedford ;  Colonel  Packard  of  the  Fourth,  at  Qumcy ; 
Colonel  Jones  of  the  Sixth,  at  Pepperell ;  and  Colonel  Monroe 
of  the  Eighth,  at  Lynn.  The  order  was  to  muster  the  regiments 
under  their  command  in  uniform  on  Boston  Common  forthwith, 
"  in  compliance  with  a  requisition  made  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States  :  the  troops  are  to  go  to  Washington."  An  order 
was  also  issued  to  fill  all  existing  vacancies  in  regimental  and 
line  officers,  waiving  the  usual  notice. 

The  reason  for  ordering  four  regiments  when  only  two  had 
been  called  for  was,  that,  by  detaching  strong  companies  from 
weak  regiments,  the  two  called  for  might  be  filled  to  the 
maximum. 

The  call  aroused  the  people  of  the  entire  State  to  instant 
action.  The  State  House  became  the  great  centre  of  interest. 
The  Governor's  room  and  the  Adjutant-General's  quarters 
were  crowded  with  citizens,  tendering  their  services  in  what 
ever  capacity  they  could  be  made  useful.  Telegrams  were  re 
ceived  from  military  and  civil  officers,  living  in  remote  parts 
of  the  Commonwealth,  making  the  same  generous  and  patriotic 
offers.  As  if  by  magic,  the  entire  character  of  the  State  was 
changed  :  from  a  peaceful,  industrious  community,  it  became  a 
camp  of  armed  men  ;  and  the  hum  of  labor  gave  place  to  the 
notes  of  fife  and  drum. 

On  the  morning  of  the  16th  of  April,  the  companies  began 
to  arrive  in  Boston  ;  and,  before  nightfall,  every  company  that 
had  received  its  orders  in  time  reported  at  headquarters  for 
duty. 

There  has  been  some  controversy  in  military  circles  as  to 
which  company  can  claim  the  honor  of  first  reaching  Boston.  I 
can  answer,  that  the  first  were  the  three  companies  of  the  Eighth 
Regiment  belonging  to  Marblehead,  commanded  by  Captains 
Martin,  Phillips,  and  Boardman.  I  had  been  at  the  State 
House  all  night ;  and,  early  in  the  morning,  rode  to  the  Arsenal 
at  Cambridge,  to  ascertain  whether  the  orders  from  headquarters, 
to  send  in  arms,  ammunition,  overcoats,  and  equipments,  had 
been  properly  attended  to.  Messengers  had  also  been  stationed 


THE  MARBLEHEAD  COMPANIES.  51 

at  the  different  depots,  with  orders  for  the  companies,  on  their 
arrival,  to  proceed  at  once  to  Faneuil  Hall,  as  a  north-easterly 
storm  of  sleet  and  rain  had  set  in  during  the  night,  and  had  not 
abated  in  the  morning.  On  my  return  from  Cambridge,  I 
stopped  at  the  Eastern  Railroad  Depot.  A  large  crowd  of  men 
and  women,  notwithstanding  the  storm,  had  gathered  there,  ex 
pecting  the  arrival  of  troops.  Shortly  after  eight  o'clock,  the 
train  arrived  with  the  Marblehead  companies.  They  were  re 
ceived  with  deafening  shouts  from  the  excited  throng.  The 
companies  immediately  formed  in  line,  and  marched  by  the  flank 
directly  to  Faneuil  Hall ;  the  fifes  and  drums  playing  rr  Yankee 
Doodle,"  the  people  following  and  shouting  like  madmen,  and 
the  rain  and  sleet  falling  piteously  as  if  to  abate  the  ardor  of  the 
popular  welcome.  And  thus  it  was  the  Marblehead  men  en 
tered  Faneuil  Hall  on  the  morning  of  the  1 6th  of  April. 

It  is  impossible  to  overstate  the  excitement  which  pervaded 
the  entire  community  through  this  eventful  week.  The  railroad 
depots  were  surrounded  with  crowds  of  people  ;  and  the  com 
panies,  as  they  arrived,  were  received  with  cheers  of  grateful 
welcome.  Banners  were  suspended,  as  if  by  preconcerted  ar 
rangement.  The  American  flag  spread  its  folds  to  the  breeze 
across  streets,  from  the  masts  of  vessels  in  the  harbor,  from  the 
cupola  of  the  State  House,  the  City  Hall,  in  front  of  private 
dwellings ;  and  men  and  boys  carried  miniature  flags  in  their 
hands  or  on  their  hats.  The  horse-cars  and  express-wagons  were 
decked  with  similar  devices  ;  and  young  misses  adorned  their 
persons  with  rosettes  and  ribbons,  in  which  were  blended  the 
national  red,  white,  and  blue.  In  the  streets,  on  'Change  and 
sidewalk,  in  private  mansion  and  in  public  hotel,  no  topic  was 
discussed  but  the  approaching  war,  the  arrival  and  departure 
of  the  troops,  and  measures  best  adapted  for  their  comfort  and 
welfare.  Every  one  was  anxious  to  do  something,  and  in  some 
way  to  be  useful.  Young  men,  wishing  to  raise  new  com 
panies  and  proffer  services,  pressed  to  the  offices  of  the  Gov 
ernor  and  the  Adjutant-General.  These  offices,  the  rotunda, 
and  the  passages  leading  to  the  State  House,  were  filled  with 
zealous  and  determined  people.  Faneuil  Hall,  Boylston  Hall, 
the  hall  over  the  Old-Colony  Railroad  Depot,  where  companies 


52  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

were  quartered,  had  each  its  living  mass  of  excited  spectators. 
Every  train  which  arrived  at  Boston  brought  in  relatives, 
friends,  and  townsmen  of  the  soldiers,  to  say  a  kind  word  at 
parting,  to  assure  them  that  their  families  would  be  well  cared 
for  while  they  were  absent,  and  to  add  to  the  general  enthusiasm 
and  excitement  of  the  occasion. 

During  the  entire  week,  wagons  were  bringing  in,  from  the 
State  Arsenal  at  Cambridge,  clothing,  arms,  ammunition,  and 
other  munitions  of  war,  to  be  deposited,  prior  to  distribution,  in 
Faneuil  Hall  and  the  State  House.  On  Saturday,  the  13th  of 
April,  two  days  prior  to  the  call  for  troops,  the  Adjutant-Gen 
eral,  by  direction  of  the  Governor,  had  written  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  asking  the  privilege  of  drawing,  from  the  United-States 
Armory  at  Springfield,  two  thousand  rifled  muskets  in  advance 
of  the  annual  quota  becoming  due ;  also  urging  the  President 
to  order  two  regiments  of  volunteers  to  garrison  Fort  War 
ren  and  Fort  Independence  in  Boston  harbor,  to  be  there  drilled 
and  exercised,  until  called  by  the  President  for  active  service  in 
the  field.  Neither  request  was  granted. 

While  the  troops  ordered  out  were  getting  to  Boston  with  all 
diligence,  and  making  ready  for  instant  departure,  another  tele 
gram  was  received  (April  16)  from  Senator  Wilson,  stating 
that  Massachusetts  was  to  furnish  immediately  four  regiments, 
to  be  commanded  by  a  brigadier-general ;  on  receipt  of  which, 
orders  were  issued  for  the  Fifth  Regiment  to  report,  and,  on 
the  17th,  Brigadier-General  Benjamin  F.  Butler  was  detailed  to 
command  the  troops. 

By  six  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  the  16th,  the  Third, 
Fourth,  and  Sixth  Regiments  were  ready  to  start.  The  head 
quarters  of  the  Third  was  in  the  hall  over  the  Old-Colony 
Railroad  Depot ;  that  of  the  Fourth  at  Faneuil  Hall ;  that  of 
the  Sixth  in  the  armory  of  the  Second  and  Fourth  Battalions, 
at  Boylston  Hall,  over  the  Boylston  Market. 

While  these  regiments  were  getting  ready,  offers  to  raise  new 
companies  of  militia  came  from  all  parts  of  the  State.  The 
Adjutant-General,  in  his  Report  for  1861,  says,  "From  the 
13th  of  April  to  the  20th  of  May,  one  hundred  and  fifty-nine 
applications  were  granted  to  responsible  parties  for  leave  to 


ENTHUSIASM   AND    LIBERALITY    OF   THE    PEOPLE.  53 

raise  companies.  In  nearly  every  instance,  the  application  was 
signed  by  the  requisite  number  of  men  for  a  company.  These 
applications  came  from  every  part  of  the  Commonwealth,  and 
represented  all  classes,  creeds,  and  nationalities.  The  authori 
ties  of  the  several  cities  and  towns  acted  with  patriotic  liber 
ality  toward  these  companies,  furnishing  good  accommodations 
for  drilling,  and  providing  for  the  families  of  the  men."  In  the 
aggregate,  they  numbered  full  ten  thousand  men,  eager  for 
orders  to  march.  Drill  companies  were  also  formed  of  men 
past  the  military  age,  and  of  citizens  who  desired  to  learn  the 
manual  of  arms.  To  these  companies  two  thousand  seven  hun 
dred  old  muskets  were  loaned  by  the  State.  Most  of  these 
new  militia  companies  were  organized  between  April  13  and 
the  4th  of  May.  Numerous  letters,  offering  pecuniary  aid  to 
soldiers'  families,  were  received  by  the  Governor  and  the 
Adjutant-General.  William  Gray,  of  Boston,  sent  his  check 
for  ten  thousand  dollars  ;  Otis  Norcross,  of  Boston,  sent  his  for 
five  hundred ;  Gardner  Brewer,  also  of  Boston,  offered  the 
State  ten  thousand  dollars ;  and  many  other  gifts,  of  less 
amount,  were  received. 

The  Boston  Banks  offered  to  loan  the  State  three  million  six 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  without  any  security  for  repayment, 
but  faith  in  the  honor  of  the  Legislature,  when  it  should 
meet.  They  also  offered  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to 
take  Treasury  notes  to  the  full  extent  of  their  power.  The 
banks  in  other  parts  of  the  State  made  offers  of  loans  equally 
generous,  according  to  their  capital.  Gentlemen  of  the  learned 
professions  showed  the  same  liberal  and  patriotic  spirit.  Dr. 
George  H.  Lyman,  who  was  afterwards  medical  inspector  in 
the  United-States  Army,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel, 
had,  in  anticipation  of  civil  war,  prepared  himself,  by  a  study  of 
rules  and  regulations  of  the  medical  department  of  the  army, 
for  the  expected  emergency.  Therefore,  on  the  call  for  troops, 
he  tendered  his  services  to  the  Governor,  to  prepare  medicine 
chests,  and  act  as  medical  purveyor  in  fitting  out  the  regiments. 
Dr.  William  J.  Dale  writes  thus:  "  On  the  sixteenth  day  of 
April,  1861,  I  was  called  from  my  professional  pursuits,  by 
Governor  Andrew,  to  assist  Dr.  George  H.  Lyman  in  furnish- 


54  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

ing  medical  supplies  for  the  Sixth  Regiment ;  and  I  continued, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Governor,  to  perform,  conjointly  with 
Dr.  Lyman,  such  duties  as  were  incidental  to  a  medical  bureau, 
until  the  13th  of  June,  1861,  when  I  was  commissioned  Sur 
geon-General  of  Massachusetts,  with  the  rank  of  colonel." 
Thus  early  in  the  war,  steps  were  taken  to  form  a  military 
medical  department  for  the  State,  which  was  of  great  value 
and  importance  during  the  whole  of  the  war,  reflecting  honor 
upon  the  Commonwealth  and  upon  the  distinguished  gentleman 
who  was  placed  at  its  head.  Many  of  the  first  physicians  of 
the  Commonwealth  volunteered  to  give  their  professional  services 
to  the  families  of  the  soldiers,  free  of  charge.  A  meeting  of  the 
Boston  Bar  was  held,  at  which  it  was  voted  to  take  charge  of  all 
cases  of  other  attorneys  while  absent  in  the  war,  and  that 
liberal  provision  be  made  for  their  families.  Many  applications 
were  made  by  clergymen  to  go  out  as  chaplains,  to  take  care  of 
the  sick  and  wounded,  and  protect  the  physical,  moral,  and 
religious  welfare  of  the  soldiers.  Conspicuous  among  these  was 
Rev.  Mr.  Cud  worth,  pastor  of  the  Unitarian  Church  in  East 
Boston.  On  Sunday,  April  21,  he  preached  a  sermon  on  the 
crisis,  in  which  he  said  he  had  already  offered  his  services  to  the 
Governor  as  chaplain.  He  hoped  his  society  would  furnish  at 
least  one  company  to  defend  the  flag.  In  case  his  services  as 
chaplain  were  not  accepted,  he  should  devote  his  year's  salary 
to  the  common  cause  ;  and  he  announced  that  the  sexton  and 
organist  would  do  the  same.  He  advised  that  the  money 
raised  by  the  parish  to  build  a  new  church  should  be  appropri 
ated  to  the  families  of  the  soldiers,  and  that  they  should  worship 
in  the  old  house  until  the  war  was  over.  He  recommended  the 
ladies  of  the  parish  to  form  a  society  to  make  under-clothing  for 
the  soldiers.  He  showed  a  handsome  necklace,  which  a  lady 
had  given  him  to  be  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  soldiers'  families. 
On  this  occasion,  the  pulpit  was  draped  with  the  American 
flag.  Mr.  Cudworth,  soon  after,  was  commissioned  chaplain 
of  the  First  Massachusetts  three-years  Regiment,  and  left 
with  it  for  the  front  on  the  15th  of  June,  and  continued  in  the 
service,  and  the  regiment,  until  the  28th  of  May,  1864. 

During  the  week,  and  particularly  after  the  Sixth  Regiment 


OFFERS    OF   ASSISTANCE.  55 

had  been  attacked  in  Baltimore,  the  enthusiasm  and  resolution 
of  the  people  were  intense.  Many  ladies  of  the  most  refined 
and  tender  culture  offered  their  services  as  hospital  nurses ;  and 
many  of  them  subsequently  went  forward  on  their  mission  of 
humanity,  and  ministered  with  tender  hands  and  feeling  hearts 
to  the  comfort  of  our  sick  and  wounded  men  in  the  hospitals. 
The  letters  of  these  true  Christian  women  are  on  file  at  the 
State  House.  They  speak  one  language,  and  express  one 
thought,  —  opportunity  to  do  good,  and  to  comfort  those  who 
are  afflicted.  Among  these  letters  is  one  dated  April  19, 
from  Mrs.  Frances  Wright,  of  Foxborough,  and  signed  by  one 
hundred  young  ladies  of  that  town,  offering  their  services  as 
nurses,  or  to  make  soldiers'  garments,  to  prepare  bandage  and 
lint,  to  do  any  thing  for  the  cause  in  their  power  to  do.  The 
Governor,  in  his  answer,  writes,  "I  accept  it  as  one  of  the  most 
earnest  and  sincere  of  the  countless  offers  of  devotion  to  our  old 
Commonwealth,  and  to  the  cause  of  the  country  ;  "  and  concludes 
by  asking  them  "  to  help  those  who  are  left  behind,  and 
follow  those  who  have  gone  before  with  your  benedictions,  your 
benefactions,  and  your  prayers." 

Benjamin  F.  Parker,  and  Whiton,  Brown,  &  Wheelright, 
"tender  the  use  of  their  sail-loft,  and  all  such  assistance  of 
workmen  as  may  be  necessary  to  do  any  work  on  the  tents, 
free  of  expense  to  the  Commonwealth."  John  H.  Eogers, 
offers  "twenty  cases  of  boots,  as  a  donation  for  the  soldiers  now 
enlisting."  Captain  Francis  B.  Davis  offers  "  his  barque  *  Man 
hattan,'  to  take  men  and  munitions  of  war  to  any  part  of  the 
United  States."  As  arrangements  had  been  already  made, 
this  offer  was  declined  for  the  present.  James  M.  Stone  and 
Newell  A.  Thompson  offered  their  services  to  superintend 
the  distribution  of  quartermaster's  stores  and  ordnance,  which 
were  accepted.  Eobert  B.  Forbes,  on  the  17th,  made  a 
proposal  to  raise  a  Coast  Guard,  which  met  with  the  cordial 
approval  of  the  Governor;  but  as  there  was  no  provision,  in 
the  militia  law,  by  which  material  aid  could  be  given  by  the 
State,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War  on  behalf 
of  the  project.  On  the  19th,  thirty  thousand  dollars  was 
subscribed  by  a  few  gentlemen  in  Boston,  as  a  fund  to  organize 


56  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

a  volunteer  regiment,  which  was  subsequently  raised,  and 
known  as  the  Second  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Infantry.  The  subscription  paper  was  headed  by  David  Sears, 
James  Lawrence,  Thomas  Lee,  Samuel  Hooper,  George  O. 
Hovey,  and  Mrs.  William  Pratt,  each  of  whom  subscribed  one 
thousand  dollars. 

The  call  for  troops,  and  their  organization  and  equipment, 
rendered  a  division  of  military  duties,  and  the  enlargement  of 
the  staff  of  the  Governor,  a  necessity.  By  law,  the  Adjutant- 
General,  in  time  of  peace,  was  Inspector-General  and  acting 
Quartermaster-General  of  the  Commonwealth.  In  time  of  war, 
the  triple  duties  of  these  offices  could  not  be  performed  by  one 
person  ;  and  therefore  Colonel  John  H.  Reed,  who  had  expe 
rience  in  military  affairs,  and  had  served  as  senior  aide-de-camp 
on  the  staff  of  Governor  Banks,  was  commissioned,  on  the 
nineteenth,  Quartermaster-General  of  Massachusetts,  with  the 
rank  of  brigadier-general.  General  Reed  entered  upon  his 
duties  immediately,  and  relieved  the  Adjutant-General  of  all 
quartermaster's  duties  and  responsibilities.  Many  of  the  duties 
had  previously  been  performed,  during  the  week,  by  the  aides- 
de-camp  of  the  Governor,  and  by  private  gentlemen,  who  had 
volunteered  their  services. 

From  the  hour  the  telegram  was  received  by  the  Governor, 
the  pressure  of  business  upon  the  executive  and  military  depart 
ments  of  the  State  became  more  and  more  urgent.  Colonels 
Sargent,  Ritchie,  Lee,  and  Wetherell,  of  the  Governor's  per 
sonal  staff,  were  on  duty,  answering  inquiries,  writing  letters, 
and  attending  to  the  multiplicity  of  details  which  the  duties  of 
the  executive  rendered  necessary.  The  Executive  Council  was 
also  in  session  ;  and,  on  the  20th  of  April,  it  "was  ordered  that 
the  Treasurer  be  authorized  to  borrow  two  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  to  be  held  as  an  emergency  fund  for  military  purposes  ;  " 
also,  "that  an  agent  be  sent  to  Europe  with  authority  to 
purchase,  on  account  of  the  Commonwealth,  twenty-five  thou 
sand  rifles  and  army  pistols,  to  be  imported  as  soon  as  may  be, 
for  the  use  of  the  militia  in  defence  of  the  State  and  of  the 
nation,  and  that  the  Governor  issue  a  letter  of  credit  to  such 
agent  for  the  purpose  of  fulfilling  this  order."  The  Governor 


GOVERNOR  ANDREW'S  LETTER.  57 

appointed  Hon.  Francis  B.  Crowninshield  the  agent  to  proceed 
to  Europe  and  purchase  arms,  and  gave  him  a  letter  of 
credit  to  the  amount  of  fifty  thousand  pounds  sterling.  Mr. 
Crowninshield  sailed  in  the  next  steamer  from  New  York  for 
England. 

On  the  day  that  orders  were  received  to  send  forward 
troops,  the  Governor  wrote  the  following  letter  :  — 

BOSTON,  April  15,  1861. 
To  Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 

SIR, —  I  have  received  telegrams  from  yourself  and  Brigadier- 
General  Thomas,  admonishing  me  of  a  coming  requisition  for  twenty 
companies  of  sixty -four  privates  each ;  and  I  have  caused  orders  to  be 
distributed  to  bring  the  men  into  Boston  before  to-morrow  night,  and 
to  await  orders.  Allow  me  to  urge  the  issue  of  an  order  to  the 
Springfield  (Mass.)  Armory,  to  double  the  production  of  arms  at  once, 
and  to  push  the  work  to  the  utmost.  If  any  aid  by  way  of  money  or 
credit  is  needed  from  Massachusetts,  I  hope  to  be  at  once  apprised. 
An  extra  session  of  our  General  Court  can  be  called  immediately,  if 
need  be ;  and,  if  called,  it  will  respond  to  any  demand  of  patriotism. 

And  I  beg  you  would  permit,  in  addition  to  suggesting  the  utmost 
activity  at  Springfield  Armory,  to  urge  that  the  armory  at  Harper's 
Ferry  be  discontinued,  and  its  tools,  machinery,  and  works  be  trans 
ferred  elsewhere,  or  else  that  it  be  rigidly  guarded  against  seizure,  of 
the  danger  of  which  I  have  some  premonitions.  If  any  more  troops 
will  certainly  be  needed  from  Massachusetts,  please  signify  it  at  once, 
since  I  should  prefer  receiving  special  volunteers  for  active  militia  to 
detail  any  more  of  our  present  active  militia,  especially  as  many  most 
efficient  gentlemen  would  like  to  raise  companies  or  regiments,  as  the 
case  may  be,  and  can  receive  enlistments  of  men  who  are  very  ready 
to  serve. 

Allow  me  also  to  suggest  that  our  forts  in  Boston  Harbor  are 
entirely  unmanned.  If  authorized,  I  would  put  a  regiment  into  the 
forts  at  any  time.  Two  of  my  staff  spent  last  Saturday  in  making 
experiments  of  the  most  satisfactory  character,  with  Shenkle's  new  in 
vention  in  projectiles ;  and  so  extraordinary  was  the  firing,  that  I  have 
directed  eighteen  guns  to  be  rifled,  and  projectiles  to  be  made.  May 
I  commend  this  invention  to  the  examination  of  the  United-States 
Government? 

I  am  happy  to  add  that  I  find  the  amplest  proof  of  a  warm  devotion 
to  the  country's  cause,  on  every  hand  to-day.  Our  people  are 
alive.  Yours,  JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 


58  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

General  Butler  was  appointed  on  the  17th  to  command  the 
Massachusetts  Brigade.  He  established  temporary  headquar 
ters  in  the  State  House.  He  was  consulted  by  the  Governor  in 
regard  to  the  movement  of  the  troops  ;  the  letters  which  Colonel 
Ritchie  had  written  from  Washington,  in  February,  were  read 
to  him ;  and  the  arrangements  which  had  been  agreed  upon  by 
General  Scott  and  the  Governor,  that  troops,  when  called  for, 
should  be  sent  by  sea  to  Annapolis  or  by  the  Potomac  River  to 
Washington,  were  made  known.  He  was  put  in  possession 
of  all  the  information  which  had  been  obtained  respecting  the 
movement  of  troops  to  Washington  by  way  of  Annapolis. 
On  the  day  the  requisition  for  troops  came  to  Governor  Andrew, 
he  telegraphed,  in  reply,  that  the  troops  would  be  at  once  for 
warded  to  Annapolis  by  sea ;  to  which  an  answer  was  received 
from  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  "  send  the  troops  by  railroad : 
they  will  arrive  quicker,  the  route  through  Baltimore  is  now 
open."  In  consequence  of  this  despatch,  the  route  was  changed, 
and  the  Sixth  Regiment  was  forwarded  by  rail,  although,  through 
the  activity  and  foresight  of  John  M.  Forbes,  steamers  were 
in  readiness  to  take  the  regiment  by  sea.  Had  the  route  not 
been  changed,  the  bloodshed  in  Baltimore  on  the  ever-memora 
ble  19th  of  April  would  have  been  avoided.  How  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  could  have  believed  the  route  through  Baltimore 
was  safe,  it  is  difficult  to  understand,  if,  as  may  have  been 
supposed,  he  was  aware  of  the  schemes  which  were  planned 
in  Baltimore  to  assassinate  Mr.  Lincoln,  when  on  his  way  to 
Washington  to  be  inaugurated,  and  which  were  thwarted  by  the 
prudence,  vigilance,  and  accurate  knowledge  of  one  man. 

The  true  history  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  perilous  journey  to  Wash 
ington  in  1861,  and  the  way  he  escaped  death,  have  never  been 
made  public  until  now.  The  narrative  was  written  by  Samuel 
M.  Felton,  of  Philadelphia,  President  of  the  Philadelphia  and 
Baltimore  Railroad  Company,  in  1862,  at  the  request  of  Mr. 
Sibley,  Librarian  of  Harvard  University  ;  but  it  was  not  com 
pleted  until  lately,  when  it  was  sent  to  me,  with  other  valuable 
material,  by  Mr.  Felton.  It  has  a  direct  bearing  upon  events 
which  transpired  in  forwarding  the  Sixth  Massachusetts  Regiment 
to  Washington,  and  which  are  now  to  be  narrated.  Mr.  Felton 


NAKRATIVE    OF    SAMUEL    M.    FELTON.  59 

is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  a  brother  of  the  late  President 
of  Harvard  University.  He  was  born  in  West  Newbury,  Essex 
County,  Mass.,  July  17,  1809,  and  graduated  at  Harvard 
in  the  class  of  1834.  His  services  in  the  cause  of  the  Union 
and  good  government,  therefore,  are  a  part  of  the  renown 
of  this  Commonwealth,  and  should  properly  find  a  place  in 
these  pages.  His  narrative  is  as  follows  :  — 

"It  came  to  my  knowledge  in  the  early  part  of  1861,  first  by 
rumors  and  then  from  evidence  which  I  could  not  doubt,  that  there 
was  a  deep-laid  conspiracy  to  capture  Washington,  destroy  all  the 
avenues  leading  to  it  from  the  North,  East,  and  West,  and  thus  prevent 
the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln  in  the  capital  of  the  country  ;  and,  if 
this  plot  did  not  succeed,  then  to  murder  him  while  on  his  way  to  the 
capital,  and  thus  inaugurate  a  revolution,  which  should  end  in  estab 
lishing  a  Southern  Confederacy,  uniting  all  the  Slave  States,  while  it 
was  imagined  that  the  North  would  be  divided  into  separate  cliques, 
each  striving  for  the  destruction  of  the  other.  Early  in  the  year  1861, 
Miss  Dix,  the  philanthropist,  came  into  my  office  on  a  Saturday  after 
noon.  I  had  known  her  for  some  years  as  one  engaged  in  alleviating 
the  sufferings  of  the  afflicted.  Her  occupation  had  brought  her  in 
contact  with  the  prominent  men  South.  In  visiting  hospitals,  she  had 
become  familiar  with  the  structure  of  Southern  society,  and  also  with 
the  working  of  its  political  machinery.  She  stated  that  she  had  an 
important  communication  to  make  to  me  personally  ;  and,  after  closing 
my  door,  I  listened  attentively  to  what  she  had  to  say  for  more  than 
an  hour.  She  put  in  a  tangible  and  reliable  shape,  by  the  facts  she 
related,  what  before  I  had  heard  in  numerous  and  detached  parcels. 
The  sum  of  it  all  was,  that  there  was  then  an  extensive  and  organized 
conspiracy  throughout  the  South  to  seize  upon  Washington,  with  its 
archives  and  records,  and  then  declare  the  Southern  conspirators 
de  facto  the  Government  of  the  United  States.  The  whole  was  to  be 
a  coup  d'etat.  At  the  same  time,  they  were  to  cut  off'  all  modes  of 
communication  between  Washington  and  the  North,  East,  or  West, 
and  thus  prevent  the  transportation  of  troops  to  wrest  the  capital 
from  the  hands  of  the  insurgents.  Mr.  Lincoln's  inauguration  was 
thus  to  be  prevented,  or  his  life  was  to  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the  attempt  at 
inauguration.  In  fact,  troops  were  then  drilling  on  the  line  of  our  own 
road,  and  the  Washington  and  Annapolis  line,  and  other  lines  ;  and  they 
were  sworn  to  obey  the  commands  of  their  leaders,  and  the  leaders 
were  banded  together  to  capture  Washington.  As  soon  as  the  inter- 


60  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

view  was  ended,  I  called  Mr.  N.  P.  Trist  into  my  office,  and  told  him 
I  wanted  him  to  go  to  Washington  that 'night,  and  communicate  these 
facts  to  General  Scott.     I  also  furnished  him  with  some  data  as  to  the 
other  routes  to  Washington,  that  might  be  adopted  in  case  the  direct 
route  was  cut  off.     One  was  the  Delaware  Railroad  to  Seaford,  and 
then  up  the  Chesapeake  and  Potomac  to  Washington,  or  to  Annapolis 
and    thence    to   Washington  ;    another,   to   Perryville,   and   thence  to 
Annapolis  and  Washington.     Mr.  Trist  left  that  night,  and  arrived  in 
Washington  at  six  the  next  morning,  which  was  on  Sunday.     He  im 
mediately  had  an  interview  with  General  Scott,  who  told  him  he  had 
foreseen  the  trouble  that  was  coming,  and  in   October  previous  had 
made   a  communication   to   the   President,  predicting   trouble   at  the 
South,  and  urging  strongly  the  garrisoning   of  all  the  Southern  forts 
and  arsenals  with  forces  sufficient  to   hold   them,  but  that  his  advice 
had  been  unheeded ;    nothing  had  been  done,  and  he  feared  nothing 
would    be    done ;    that   he  was    powerless ;    and  that  he  feared  Mr. 
Lincoln   would    be    obliged    to  be  inaugurated  into   office   at   Phila 
delphia.     He  should,  however,  do   all  he   could  to  bring  troops   to 
Washington   sufficient  to  make  it  secure;    but   he   had  no  influence 
with  the   Administration,  and  feared  the  worst  consequences.     Thus 
matters    stood    on    Mr.   Trist's    visit  to   Washington,   and    thus  they 
stood  for  some  time  afterwards.      About  this  time,  —  a  few  days  sub 
sequent,  however,  —  a  gentleman  from   Baltimore  came  out  to  Back- 
river  Bridge,  about  five    miles  this  side   of   the   city,   and   told    the 
bridge-keeper  that  he  had  come  to  give  information  which  had  come 
to  his  knowledge  of  vital  importance   to  the  road,  which  he  wished 
communicated  to  me.      The  nature  of  this   communication  was,  that 
a  party  was  then  organized  in  Baltimore  to  burn  our  bridges,  in  case 
Mr.  Lincoln  came  over  the  road,  or  in  case  we  attempted  to  carry 
troops  for  the  defence  of  Washington.     The  party,  at  that  time,  had 
combustible  materials  prepared  to  pour  over  the  bridges  ;  and  were  to 
disguise  themselves  as  negroes,  and  be  at  the  bridge  just  before  the 
train  in  which  Mr.  Lincoln  travelled  had  arrived.     The  bridge  was 
then  to  be  burned,  the  train  attacked,  and  Mr.  Lincoln  to  be  put  out 
of  the  way.     This   man  appeared  to  be  a  gentleman  and  in  earnest, 
and  honest  in  what  he  said ;  but  he  would  not  give  his  name,  nor  allow 
any  inquiries  to  be  made  as  to  his  name  or  exact  abode,  as  he  said  his 
life  would  be  in  peril  were  it  known  that  he  had  given  this  information ; 
but,  if  we  would  not  attempt  to  find  him  out,  he  would  continue  to 
come  and  give  information.     He  came  subsequently  several  times,  and 
gave  items  of  information  as  to  the  movements  of  the  conspirators ; 
but  I  have  never  been  able  to  ascertain  who  he  was.     Immediately 


ME.  LINCOLN'S  ESCAPE  FROM  ASSASSINATION.  61 

after  the  development  of  these  facts,  I  went  to  Washington,  and  there 
met  a  prominent  and  reliable  gentleman  from  Baltimore,  who  was  well 
acquainted  with  Marshal  Kane,  then  the  chief  of  police.  I  was 
anxious  to  ascertain  whether  he  was  loyal  and  reliable,  and  made  par 
ticular  inquiries  upon  both  these  points.  I  was  assured  that  Kane  was 
perfectly  reliable ;  whereupon  I  made  known  some  of  the  facts  that 
had  come  to  my  knowledge  in  reference  to  the  designs  for  the  burning 
of  the  bridges,  and  requested  that  they  should  be  laid  before  Marshal 
Kane,  with  a  request  that  he  should  detail  a  police  force  to  make  the 
necessary  investigation.  Marshal  Kane  was  seen,  and  it  was  sug 
gested  to  him  that  there  were  reports  of  a  conspiracy  to  burn  the 
bridges  and  cut  off  Washington ;  and  his  advice  was  asked  as  to  the 
best  way  of  ferreting  out  the  conspirators.  He  scouted  the  idea  that 
there  was  any  such  thing  on  foot;  said  he  had  thoroughly  investi 
gated  the  whole  matter,  and  there  was  not  the  slightest  foundation  for 
such  rumors.  I  then  determined  to  have  nothing  more  to  do  with 
Marshal  Kane,  but  to  investigate  the  matter  in  my  own  way,  and  at 
once  sent  for  a  celebrated  detective,  who  resided  in  the  West,  and 
whom  I  had  before  employed  on  an  important  matter.  He  was  a  man 
of  great  skill  and  resources.  I  furnished  him  with  a  few  hints,  and  at 
once  set  him  on  the  track  with  eight  assistants.  There  were  then 
drilling,  upon  the  line  of  the  railroad,  some  three  military  organiza 
tions,  professedly  for  home  defence,  pretending  to  be  Union  men,  and, 
in  one  or  two  instances,  tendering  their  services  to  the  railroad  in  case 
of  trouble.  Their  propositions  were  duly  considered ;  but  the  defence 
of  the  road  was  never  intrusted  to  their  tender  mercies.  The  first 
thing  done  was  to  enlist  a  volunteer  in  each  of  these  military  compa 
nies.  They  pretended  to  come  from  New  Orleans  and  Mobile,  and 
did  not  appear  to  be  wanting  in  sympathy  for  the  South.  They  were 
furnished  with  uniforms  at  the  expense  of  the  road,  and  drilled  as 
often  as  their  associates  in  arms  ;  became  initiated  into  all  the  secrets 
of  the  organization,  and  reported  every  day  or  two  to  their  chief,  who 
immediately  reported  to  me  the  designs  and  plans  of  these  military 
companies.  One  of  these  organizations  was  loyal;  but  the  other  two 
were  disloyal,  and  fully  in  the  plot  to  destroy  the  bridges,  and  march 
to  Washington,  to  wrest  it  from  the  hands  of  the  legally  constituted 
authorities.  Every  nook  and  corner  of  the  road  and  its  vicinity  was 
explored  by  the  chief  and  his  detectives,  and  the  secret  working  of 
secession  and  treason  laid  bare,  and  brought  to  light.  Societies  were 
joined  in  Baltimore,  and  various  modes  known  to,  and  practised  only 
by,  detectives,  were  resorted  to,  to  win  the  confidence  of  the  conspira 
tors,  and  get  into  their  secrets.  The  plan  worked  well;  and  the 


62  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

midnight  plottings  and  daily  consultations  of  the  conspirators  were 
treasured  up  as  a  guide  to  our  future  plans  for  thwarting  them.  It 
turned  out,  that  all  that  had  been  communicated  by  Miss  Dix  and  the 
gentleman  from  Baltimore  rested  upon  a  foundation  of  fact,  and  that 
the  half  had  not  been  told.  It  was  made  as  certain  as  strong  circum 
stantial  and  positive  evidence  could  make  it,  that  there  was  a  plot  to 
burn  the  bridges  and  destroy  the  road,  and  murder  Mr.  Lincoln  on  his 
way  to  Washington,  if  it  turned  out  that  he  went  there  before  troops 
were  called.  If  troops  were  first  called,  then  the  bridges  were  to  be 
destroyed,  and  Washington  cut  off,  and  taken  possession  of  by  the  South. 
I  at  once  organized  and  armed  a  force  of  about  two  hundred  men,  whom 
I  distributed  along  the  line  between  the  Susquehanna  and  Baltimore, 
principally  at  the  bridges.  These  men  were  drilled  secretly  and  regu 
larly  by  drill-masters,  and  were  apparently  employed  in  whitewashing 
the  bridges,  putting  on  some  six  or  seven  coats  of  whitewash,  saturated 
with  salt  and  alum,  to  make  the  outside  of  the  bridges  as  nearly  fire 
proof  as  possible.  This  whitewashing,  so  extensive  in  its  application, 
became  the  nine  days'  wonder  of  the  neighborhood.  Thus  the  bridges 
were  strongly  guarded,  and  a  train  was  arranged  so  as  to  concentrate 
all  the  forces  at  one  point  in  case  of  trouble.  The  programme  of  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  changed ;  and  as  it  was  decided  by  him  that  he  would  go 
to  Harrisburg  from  Philadelphia,  and  thence  over  the  Northern  Cen 
tral  road  by  day  to  Baltimore,  and  thence  to  Washington.  We  were 
then  informed  by  our  detective,  that  the  attention  of  the  conspirators 
was  turned  from  our  road  to  the  Northern  Central,  and  that  they 
would  there  await  the  coming  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  This  statement  was 
confirmed  by  our  Baltimore  gentleman,  who  came  out  again,  and  said 
their  designs  upon  our  road  were  postponed  for  the  present,  and,  unless 
we  carried  troops,  would  not  be  renewed  again.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  to 
be  waylaid  on  the  line  of  the  Northern  Central  road,  and  prevented 
from  reaching  Washington ;  and  his  life  was  to  fall  a  sacrifice  to  the 
attempt.  Thus  matters  stood  on  his  arrival  in  Philadelphia.  I  felt 
it  my  duty  to  communicate  to  him  the  facts  that  had  come  to  my 
knowledge,  and  urge  his  going  to  Washington  privately  that  night  in 
our  sleeping-car,  instead  of  publicly  two  days  after,  as  was  proposed. 
I  went  to  a  hotel  in  Philadelphia,  where  I  met  the  detective,  who  was 
registered  under  an  assumed  name,  and  arranged  with  him  to  bring  Mr. 
Judd,  Mr.  Lincoln's  intimate  friend,  to  my  room  in  season  to  arrange 
the  journey  to  Washington  that  night.  One  of  our  sub-detectives 
made  three  efforts  to  communicate  with  Mr.  Judd  while  passing 
through  the  streets  in  the  procession,  and  was  three  times  arrested 
and  carried  out  of  the  crowd  by  the  police.  The  fourth  time  he  sue- 


NARRATIVE    CONTINUED.  63 

ceeded,  and  brought  Mr.  Judd  to  my  room,  where  he  met  the  detective- 
in-chief  and  myself.  We  lost  no  time  in  making  known  to  him  all  the 
facts  which  had  come  to  our  knowledge  in  reference  to  the  conspiracy ; 
and  I  most  earnestly  advised  that  Mr.  Lincoln  should  go  to  Washing 
ton  privately  that  night  in  the  sleeping-car.  Mr.  Judd  fully  entered 
into  the  plan,  and  said  he  would  urge  Mr.  Lincoln  to  adopt  it.  On 
his  communicating  with  Mr.  Lincoln,  after  the  services  of  the  evening 
were  over,  he  answered  that  he  had  engaged  to  go  to  Harrisburg  and 
speak  the  next  day,  and  he  would  not  break  his  engagement  even  in 
the  face  of  such  peril,  but  that,  after  he  had  fulfilled  the  engagement, 
he  would  follow  such  advice  as  we  might  give  him  in  reference  to  his 
journey  to  Washington.  It  was  then  arranged  that  he  should  go  to 
Harrisburg  the  next  day,  and  make  his  address  ;  after  which  he  was  to 
apparently  return  to  Governor  Curtin's  house  for  the  night,  but  in 
reality  go  to  a  point  about  two  miles  out  of  Harrisburg,  where  an 
extra  car  and  engine  awaited  to  take  him  to  Philadelphia.  At  the 
time  of  his  retiring,  the  telegraph  lines,  east,  west,  north,  and  south 
from  Harrisburg  were  cut,  so  that  no  message  as  to  his  movements 
could  be  sent  off  in  any  direction.  Mr.  Lincoln  could  not  probably 
arrive  in  season  for  our  regular  train  that  left  at  eleven,  P.M.,  and  I 
did  not  dare  to  send  him  by  an  extra  for  fear  of  its  being  found  out  or 
suspected  that  he  was  on  the  road ;  so  it  became  necessary  for  me 
to  devise  some  excuse  for  the  detention  of  the  train.  But  three  or 
four  on  the  road  besides  myself  knew  the  plan.  One  of  these  I  sent 
by  an  earlier  train,  to  say  to  the  people  of  the  Washington  Branch 
road  that  I  had  an  important  package  I  was  getting  ready  for  the 
eleven,  P.M.,  train ;  that  it  was  necessary  I  should  have  this  package 
delivered  in  Washington  early  the  next  morning  without  fail ;  that  I 
was  straining  every  nerve  to  get  it  ready  by  eleven  o'clock,  but,  in 
case  I  did  not  succeed,  I  should  delay  the  train  until  it  was  ready,  — 
probably  not  more  than  half  an  hour ;  and  I  wished,  as  a  personal 
favor,  that  the  Washington  train  should  await  the  coming  of  ours  from 
Philadelphia  before  leaving.  This  request  was  willingly  complied 
with  by  the  managers  of  the  Washington  Branch  ;  and  the  man  whom 
I  had  sent  to  Baltimore  so  informed  me  by  telegraph  in  cipher.  The 
second  person  in  the  secret  I  sent  to  West  Philadelphia,  with  a  car 
riage,  to  await  the  coming  of  Mr.  Lincoln.  I  gave  him  a  package  of 
old  railroad  reports,  done  up  with  great  care,  with  a  great  seal  attached 
to  it,  and  directed  in  a  fair,  round  hand,  to  a  person  at  Willard's.  I 
marked  it  *  Very  important ;  to  be  delivered  without  fail  by  eleven 
o'clock  train,'  indorsing  my  own  name  upon  the  package.  Mr.  Lincoln 
arrived  in  West  Philadelphia,  and  was  immediately  taken  into  the 


64  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

carriage,  and  driven  to  within  a  square  of  our  station,  where  my  man 
with  the  package  jumped  off,  and  waited  till  he  saw  the  carriage  drive 
up  to  the  door,  and  Mr.  Lincoln  and  the  detective  get  out  and  go  into 
the  station.  He  then  came  up,  and  gave  the  package  to  the  conductor, 
who  was  waiting  at  the  door  to  receive  it,  in  company  with  a  police 
officer.  Tickets  had  been  bought  beforehand  for  Mr.  Lincoln  and 
party  to  Washington,  including  a  tier  of  berths  in  the  sleeping-car. 
He  passed  between  the  conductor  and  the  police-officer  at  the  door,  and 
neither  suspected  who  he  was.  The  conductor  remarked  as  he  passed, 
'  Well,  old  fellow,  it  is  lucky  for  you  that  our  president  detained  the 
train  to  send  a  package  by  it,  or  you  would  have  been  left.'  Mr. 
Lincoln  and  the  detective  being  safely  ensconced  in  the  sleeping-car, 
and  my  package  safely  in  the  hands  of  the  conductor,  the  train  started 
for  Baltimore  about  fifteen  minutes  behind  time.  Our  man  No.  3, 

George ,  started  with  the  train  to  go  to  Baltimore,  and  hand  it 

over,  with  its  contents,  to  man  No.  1,  who  awaited  its  arrival  in  Balti 
more.  Before  the  train  reached  Gray's  Ferry  Bridge,  and  before  Mr. 
Lincoln  had  resigned  himself  to  slumber,  the  conductor  came  to  our 
man  George,  and  accosting  him,  said,  '  George,  I  thought  you  and  I 
were  old  friends ;  and  why  did  you  not  tell  me  we  had  Old  Abe  on 
board  ? '  George,  thinking  the  conductor  had  in  some  way  become 
possessed  of  the  secret,  answered,  '  John,  we  are  friends,  and,  as  you 
have  found  it  out,  Old  Abe  is  on  board  ;  and  we  will  still  be  friends, 
and  see  him  safely  through.'  John  answered,  '  Yes,  if  it  costs  me  my 
life,  he  shall  have  a  safe  passage.'  And  so  George  stuck  to  one  end  of 
the  car,  and  the  conductor  to  the  other  every  moment  that  his  duties 
to  the  other  passengers  would  admit  of  it.  It  turned  out,  however,  that 
the  conductor  was  mistaken  in  his  man.  A  man  strongly  resembling 
Mr.  Lincoln  had  come  down  to  the  train,  about  half  an  hour  before  it 
left,  and  bought  a  ticket  to  Washington  for  the  sleeping-car.  The 
conductor  had  seen  him,  and  concluded  he  was  the  veritable  Old  Abe. 
George  delivered  the  sleeping-car  and  train  over  to  William  in  Balti 
more,  as  had  been  previously  arranged  ;  who  took  his  place  at  the  brake, 
and  rode  to  Washington,  where  he  arrived  at  six,  A.M.,  on  time,  and 
saw  Mr.  Lincoln,  in  the  hands  of  a  friend,  safely  delivered  at  Wil- 
lard's,  where  he  secretly  ejaculated,  '  God  be  praised  ! '  He  also  saw 
the  package  of  railroad  reports,  marked  'important,'  safely  delivered  into 
the  hands  for  which  it  was  intended.  This  being  done,  he  performed  his 
morning  ablutions  in  peace  and  quiet,  and  enjoyed  with  unusual  zest 
his  breakfast.  At  eight  o'clock,  the  time  agreed  upon,  the  telegraph- 
wires  were  joined;  and  the  first  message  flashed  across  the  line  was, 
'  Your  package  has  arrived  safely,  and  been  delivered,'  signed  '  William.' 


ROSTER    OF    THE    THIRD    REGIMENT.  65 

Then  there  went  up  from  the  writer  of  this  a  shout  of  joy  and  a 
devout  thanksgiving  to  Him  from  whom  all  blessings  flow ;  and  the 
few  who  were  in  the  secret  joined  in  a  heartfelt  Amen.  Thus  began 
and  ended  a  chapter  in  the  history  of  the  Rebellion,  that  has  been  never 
before  written,  but  about  which  there  have  been  many  hints,  entitled 
'A  Scotch  Cap  and  Riding-cloak,'  &c.,  neither  of  which  had  any  founda 
tion  in  truth,  as  Mr.  Lincoln  travelled  in  his  ordinary  dress.  Mr. 
Lincoln  was  safely  inaugurated ;  after  which  I  discharged  our  detective 
force,  and  also  the  semi-military  whitewashes,  and  all  was  quiet  and 
serene  again  on  the  railroad.  But  the  distant  booming  from  Fort 
Sumte'r  was  soon  heard,  and  aroused  in  earnest  the  whole  population 
of  the  loyal  States.  The  seventy-five  thousand  three-months  men 
were  called  out ;  and  again  the  plans  for  burning  bridges  and  destroying 
the  railroad  were  revived  in  all  their  force  and  intensity.  Again  I 
sent  Mr.  Trist  to  Washington  to  see  General  Scott,  to  beg  for  troops 
to  garrison  the  road,  as  our  forces  were  then  scattered,  and  could  not  be 
got  at.  Mr.  Trist  telegraphed  me  that  the  forces  would  be  supplied ; 
but  the  crisis  came  on  immediately,  and  all,  and  more  than  all.  were  re 
quired  at  Washington.  At  the  last  moment,  I  obtained,  and  sent  down 
the  road,  about  two  hundred  men,  armed  with  shot-guns  and  revolvers, 

—  all  the  arms  I  could  get  hold  of  at  the  time.     They  were  raw  and 
undisciplined  men,  and  not  fit  to  cope  with  those  brought  against  them, 

—  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  fully  armed,  and  commanded  by 
the  redoubtable  rebel,  J.  R.  Trimble." 

Such  was  the  condition  of  affairs  along  the  line  of  that  road 
when  the  Sixth  Regiment  reached  Philadelphia,  on  the  ISth  of 
April.  I  now  proceed  with  the  narrative. 

The  Third  and  Fourth  Regiments  were  composed  of  com 
panies  belonging  to  towns  in  Norfolk,  Plymouth,  and  Bristol 
Counties.  The  Sixth  and  Eighth  were  almost  exclusively  from 
Middlesex  and  Essex  Counties.  The  field-officers  of  the  Third 
were  David  W.  Wardrop,  of  New  Bedford,  colonel ;  Charles 
Raymond,  of  Plymouth,  lieutenant-colonel ;  John  H.  Jennings, 
of  New  Bedford,  major ;  Austin  S.  Cushman,  of  New  Bedford, 
adjutant;  Edward  D.  Allen,  Fairhaven,  quartermaster;  Alex 
ander  R.  Holmes,  of  New  Bedford,  surgeon ;  Johnson  Clark, 
of  New  Bedford,  assistant-surgeon  ;  Alberti  C.  Maggi,  of  New 
Bedford,  sergeant-major  ;  and  Frederick  S.  Gifford,  of  New  Bed 
ford,  quartermaster-sergeant. 

Company  A,  "Halifax  Light  Infantry."  Joseph  S.  Harlow, 

5 


66  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

of  Middleborough,  captain.  The  lieutenants  were  Cephas  Wash- 
burn,  of  Kingston,  and  Charles  P.  Lyon,  of  Halifax. 

Company  B,  "  Standish  Guards,"  of  Plymouth.  Charles  C. 
Doten,  of  Plymouth,  captain  ;  Otis  Rogers,  of  Plymouth,  and 
William  B.  Alexander,  of  Boston,  lieutenants. 

Company  B,  "  Cambridge  City  Guards,"  of  Cambridge.  This 
company  was  the  first  company  raised  for  the  war  in  Massachu 
setts,  and  was  organized  in  January,  1861,  and  attached  tempo 
rarily  to  the  Fifth  Regiment.  It  was  recruited  out  of  the 
Cambridge  "  Wide  Awake  Club."  Its  officers  were  James  P. 
Richardson,  captain  ;  Samuel  E.  Chamberlain  and  Edwin  F. 
Richardson,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  whom  belonged  to  that  part 
of  the  city  of  Cambridge  known  as  Cambridgeport. 

Company  G,  the  "  Assonet  Light  Infantry,"  Freetown.  John 
W.  Marble,  captain ;  Humphrey  A.  Francis  and  John  M. 
Dean,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Freetown. 

Company  II,  "  Samoset  Guards,"  Plympton.  Lucian  L. 
Perkins,  of  Plympton,  captain  ;  Oscar  E.  Washburn,  of  Plymp 
ton,  and  South  worth  Loring,  of  Middleborough,  lieutenants. 

Company  K,  "  Bay  State  Light  Infantry,"  Carver.  William 
S.  McFarlin,  of  South  Carver,  captain  ;  John  Dunham,  of  North 
Carver,  and  Francis  L.  Porter,  of  New  Bedford,  lieutenants. 

Company  L,  "New  Bedford  City  Guards."  Timothy  Ingra- 
ham,  captain;  and  James  Barton  and  Austin  S.  Cushman, 
lieutenants,  —  all  of  New  Bedford. 

This  company  left  New-Bedford  early  on  the  morning  of  the 
16th.  Its  departure  was  witnessed  by  thousands  of  citizens. 
Addresses  were  made  by  ex-Governor  John  II.  Clifford  and 
the  Mayor  of  the  city.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  Gov 
ernor  Clifford's  speech  :  — 

"You,  New-Bedford  Guards,  — guards  of  honor  and  safety  to  your 
fellow-citizens !  We  know,  that,  when  brought  to  the  test,  you  will 
be  justified  and  approved.  It  was  a  severe  trial  to  be  summoned 
away  in  time  of  peace  and  prosperity  ;  but  it  may  be  the  discipline  of  a 
beneficent  Providence,  to  remind  us  of  our  blessings,  and  that  as  a  people 
we  might  show  to  the  world  whether  we  are  worthy  of  liberty.  We 
remain  :  you  go  forth.  The  ties  of  affection,  the  tenderness  of 
mother,  wife,  sister,  and  friends,  cluster  around  this  hour.  All  these 


EX-GOVERNOR    CLIFFORD'S    SPEECH.  67 

ties  you  cheerfully  yield  to  the  call  to  patriot  conflict  and  our  coun 
try's  welfare.  .  .  .  All  bid  you  God-speed,  even  the  families  who  are 
to  be  left  alone ;  as  the  wife  of  one  of  you  said  this  morning  to  the 
question  if  her  husband  was  going,  *  My  husband  going  ?  Yes  ;  and  I 
would  not  keep  him  back  for  all  that  he  could  gain  at  home.  I  will 
welcome  him  on  his  return,  if  he  should  return  ;  and,  if  that  should 
not  be,  I  will  for  ever  bless  and  honor  his  memory.'  Go  in  peace,  my 
friends.  Disturb  not  your  minds  about  the  care  of  your  families. 
Your  fellow-citizens  will  see  to  it  that  those  you  leave  behind  shall 
want  nothing  while  you  are  gone.  We  shall  hear  from  you  on  the 
field  of  duty,  and  that  not  one  has  failed,  wherever  he  may  be.  God 
keep  you  safe  under  his  care,  and  bring  you  back  with  untarnished  glory, 
to  be  received  by  your  fellow-citizens  with  heartfelt  joy  and  honor !" 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  speech,  an  impressive  prayer  was 
made  by  Rev.  Mr.  Girdwood.  An  escort  of  citizens,  headed 
by  ex-Governor  Clifford,  conducted  the  company  to  the  cars, 
which  started  for  Boston  amid  the  cheers  of  the  assembled 
thousands. 

The  Third  Regiment  was  destined  for  Fortress  Monroe  ;  and, 
the  steam  transport  being  ready,  the  regiment  left  its  quarters 
about  six  o'clock  on  the  afternoon  of  Wednesday  the  17th, 
marched  to  the  State  House  to  receive  its  equipments,  and  from 
thence  to  Central  Wharf,  where  it  embarked.  The  regiment 
was  cheered  the  whole  length  of  its  march,  and  a  national 
salute  was  fired  on  the  wharf.  The  steamer  cast  off  about 
seven  o'clock,  and  anchored  in  the  stream,  where  it  remained 
until  noon  the  next  day,  when  it  sailed,  bearing  to  Virginia  its 
patriot  freight.  It  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe  on  the  20th. 

The  field  and  staff  officers  of  the  Fourth  Regiment  were 
Abner  B.  Packard,  of  Quincy,  colonel ;  Hawkes  Fearing,  Jr.,  of 
Hingham,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Horace  O.  Whittemore,  of  Bos 
ton,  major ;  Henry  Walker,  of  Quincy,  adjutant ;  William  H. 
Carruth,  of  Boston,  quartermaster ;  Henry  M.  Saville,  of 
Quincy,  surgeon;  William  L.  Faxon,  of  Quincy,  "surgeon's 
mate;"  Alvin  E.  Hall,  of  Foxborough,  sergeant-major;  and 
George  W.  Barnes,  of  Plymouth,  quartermaster-sergeant. 

Company  A,  "Union  Light  Guards,"  Canton.  Officers: 
Ira  Drake,  of  Stoughton,  captain  ;  Henry  U.  Morse  and  Wal 
ter  Cameron,  of  Canton,  lieutenants.  At  this  time,  Lieutenant 


68  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

Cameron  was  in  New  Orleans  ;  and  John  McKay,  Jr.,  of  Can 
ton,  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy.  Lieutenant  Cameron,  how 
ever,  soon  after  returned  home,  and  joined  his  company  at 
Fortress  Monroe. 

Company  B,  "Light  Infantry,"  Easton.  Officers:  Milo  M. 
Williams,  captain ;  Linton  Waldron  and  William  E.  Bump, 
Jr.,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Easton. 

Company  C,  "Light  Infantry,"  Braintree.  Officers  :  Cephas 
C.  Bumpus,  captain;  James  T.  Stevens  and  Isaac  P.  Fuller, 
lieutenants,  —  all  of  Braintree. 

Company  D,  "Light  Infantry,"  Randolph.  Officers  :  Horace 
Niles,  captain  ;  Otis  S.  Wilbur  and  II.  Frank  Wales,  lieu 
tenants, —  all  of  Randolph . 

Company  E,  "Light  Infantry,"  South  Abington.  Officers: 
Charles  F.  Allen,  captain  ;  Lewis  Soule  and  John  W.  Mitchell, 
lieutenants, — all  of  South  Abington. 

Company  F,  "  Warren  Light  Guards,"  Foxborough.  Offi 
cers  :  David  L.  Shepard,  captain  ;  Moses  A.  Richardson  and 
Carlos  A.  Hart,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Foxborough. 

Company  G,  "  Light  Infantry,"  Taunton.  Officers  :  Timothy 
Gordon,  captain  ;  Zaccheus  Sherman  and  Frederick  A.  Har 
rington,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Taunton. 

Company  II,  "Hancock  Light  Guards,"  Quincy.  Officers: 
Franklin  Curtis,  captain  ;  Edward  A.  Spear  and  Benjamin  F. 
Meservey,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Quincy. 

Company  I,  "Lincoln  Light  Guards,"  Hingham.  Officers  : 
Luther  Stephenson,  Jr.,  captain  ;  Charles  Sprague  and  Nathaniel 
French,  Jr.,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Hingham.  This  company 
was  named  in  honor  of  Major-General  Benjamin  Lincoln,  of 
revolutionary  renown. 

This  regiment  was  ready  to  march  on  the  16th  ;  but  transpor 
tation  could  not  be  arranged  until  the  next  day.  Its  destination 
was  Fortress  Monroe.  It  left  Faneuil  Hall  at  three  o'clock  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  17th,  and  marched  to  the  State  House, 
where  it  was  addressed  by  Governor  Andrew,  who  said,  — 

"  It  gives  me  unspeakable  pleasure  to  witness  this  array  from  the 
good  Old  Colony.  You  have  come  from  the  shores  of  the  sounding 
sea,  where  lie  the  ashes  of  Pilgrims  ;  and  you  are  bound  on  a  high 


THE    FOUBTH    REGIMENT.  —  SPEECH    OF    GOV.    ANDREW.      69 

and  noble  pilgrimage  for  liberty,  for  the  Union  and  Constitution  of  your 
country.  Soldiers  of  the  Old  Bay  State,  sons  of  sires  who  never 
disgraced  their  flag  in  civil  life  or  on  the  tented  field,  I  thank  you  from 
the  bottom  of  my  heart  for  this  noble  response  to  the  call  of  your 
State  and  your  country.  You  cannot  wait  for  words.  I  bid  you  God 
speed  and  an  affectionate  farewell." 

Colonel  Packard  made  a  brief  and  fitting  response  ;  and  the 
regiment  filed  down  Park  Street,  and  marched  to  the  depot  of 
the  Old  Colony  Railroad,  where  a  train  was  ready  to  receive 
it.  In  a  few  minutes,  the  regiment  was  on  the  way  to  Fall 
River,  where  it  was  put  on  board  the  steamer  "  State  of  Maine," 
and  arrived  at  New  York  the  next  afternoon.  Its  departure 
was  delayed  until  four  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  19th,  in 
adjusting  ballast  and  taking  in  coal,  when  it  started  for  For 
tress  Monroe,  and  arrived  there  at  break  of  day  on  the  morning 
of  the  20th.  In  its  march  through  Boston  and  along  the 
route  to  Fall  River,  the  regiment  was  received  with  cheers  of 
approval  from  the  men,  and  by  the  waving  of  handkerchiefs  by 
the  women,  who  turned  out  to  greet  it. 

The  Sixth  Regiment  mustered  on  the  16th  at  Lowell,  at  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning.  Before  leaving  the  city  for  Boston,  it 
was  addressed  by  the  Mayor  and  others,  and  cheered  by  the 
populace.  Four  of  the  companies  belonged  in  Lowell.  The 
inhabitants  in  mass  came  from  their  dwellings,  mills,  and  work 
shops,  to  witness  the  regiment  depart.  It  arrived  in  Boston  at 
one  o'clock,  where  it  met  with  a  cordial  reception.  The  crowd 
followed  it  to  Faneuil  Hall,  and  from  thence  to  Boylston  Hall, 
where  its  headquarters  were  established. 

The  field  and  staff  officers  of  the  Sixth  were  Edward  F. 
Jones,  of  Pepperell,  colonel ;  Benjamin  F.  Watson,  of  Law 
rence,  lieutenant-colonel;  Josiah  A.  Sawtell,  of  Lowell,  ma 
jor  ;  Alpha  B.  Farr,  of  Lowell,  adjutant ;  James  Monroe,  of 
Cambridge,  quartermaster;  Charles  Babbidge,  of  Pepperell, 
chaplain;  Norman  Smith,  of  Groton,  surgeon;  Jansen  T. 
Paine,  of  Charlestown,  "surgeon's  mate;"  Rufus  L.  Plaisted, 
of  Lowell,  paymaster ;  Samuel  D.  Shattuck,  of  Groton,  ser 
geant-major  ;  Church  Howre,  of  Worcester,  quartermaster- 
sergeant ;  John  Dupee,  of  Boston,  commissary-sergeant ;  Fred- 


70  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

crick  Stafford,  of  Lowell,  drum-major ;  William  H.  Gray,  of 
Acton,  hospital  steward.  The  Sixth  had  a  full  staff  and  regi 
mental  band. 

Company  A,  "  National  Greys,"  Lowell.  Officers:  Josiah 
A.  Sawtell,  captain ;  Andrew  J.  Johnson  and  Andrew  C. 
Wright,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Lowell. 

Company  B, "  Groton  Artillery,"  Groton.  Officers  :  Eusebius 
S.  Clark,  captain  ;  George  F.  Shattuck  and  Samuel  G.  Blood, 
lieutenants,  —  all  of  Groton. 

Company  C,  "  Mechanics'  Phalanx,"  Lowell.  Officers  :  Al 
bert  S.  Follansbee,  captain;  Samuel  D.  Shipley  and  John  C. 
Jepson,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Lowell. 

Company  D,  "City  Guards,"  Lowell.  Officers:  James  W. 
Hart,  captain  ;  Charles  E.  Jones  and  Samuel  C.  Pinney, 
Llewellyn  L.  Craig,  lieutenants, — all  of  Lowell. 

Company  E,  "  Davis  Guards,"  Acton.  Officers  :  Daniel 
Tuttle,  captain  ;  William  H.  Chapman  and  George  W.  Kand, 
Silas  B.  Blodgett,  Aaron  S.  Fletcher,  lieutenants,  —  all  of 
Acton. 

This  company  was  named  in  honor  of  their  brave  towns 
man,  Captain  Isaac  Davis,  who  commanded  an  Acton  company 
to  defend  the  North  Bridge,  across  Concord  River,  on  the  19th 
of  April,  1775,  where  he  fell  a  martyr  to  liberty  and  American 
independence. 

Company  F,  "  Warren  Light  Guard,"  Lawrence.  Officers: 
Benjamin  F.  Chadbourne,  captain  ;  Melvin  Beal,  Thomas  J. 
Cate,  and  Jesse  C.  Silver,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Lawrence. 

Company  G,  "Worcester  Light  Infantry,"  Worcester.  Offi 
cers  :  Harrison  W.  Pratt,  captain  ;  George  W.  Prouty,  Thomas 
S.  Washburn,  J.  Waldo  Denny,  and  Dexter  F.  Parker,  lieu 
tenants, —  all  of  Worcester. 

This  company  was  originally  organized  in  1803,  by  Hon. 
Levi  Lincoln,  and  served  in  the  war  of  1812,  under  command 
of  his  brother,  Captain  John  W.  Lincoln. 

Company  II,  "Watson  Light  Guard,"  Lowell.  Officers: 
John  F.  Noyes,  captain;  George  E.  Davis,  Andrew  F.  Jewett, 
and  Benjamin  Warren,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Lowell. 

Company  I,  "Light  Infantry,"  Lawrence.       Officers:  John 


THE  SIXTH  REGIMENT'S  DEPARTURE.  71 

Pickering,  captain  ;  Daniel  S.  Yeaton,  A.  Lawrence  Hamilton, 
Eben  H.  Ellenwood,  and  Eugene  J.  Mason,  lieutenants, — all 
of  Lawrence. 

Company  K,  "  Washington  Light  Guard,"  Boston.  Officers  : 
Walter  S.  Sampson,  captain ;  Ansell  D.  Wass,  Moses  J. 
Emery,  Thomas  Walwork,  and  John  F.  Dunning,  lieutenants. 

This  company  was  detached  from  the  First  Regiment  to  com 
plete  the  Sixth.  The  company  was  drilling  in  its  armory,  on 
Eliot  Street,  Boston,  on  the  evening  of  the  16th.  About  ten 
o'clock,  the  Adjutant-General  brought  to  Captain  Sampson,  at 
the  armory,  an  order  from  the  Governor,  attaching  the  com 
pany  to  the  Sixth  Regiment,  to  proceed  the  next  morning  to 
Washington.  The  order  was  received  with  nine  cheers.  Every 
man  was  ready  and  eager  to  go. 

Company  L,  "Light  Infantry,"  Stoneham.  Officers:  John 
H.  Dike,  captain  ;  Leander  F.  Lynde,  Darius  N.  Stevens,  and 
John  F.  Rowe,  —  all  of  Stoneham,  —  and  William  B.  Blais- 
dell,  of  Lynn,  lieutenants. 

This  company  was  detached  from  the  Seventh  Regiment. 
The  Adjutant-General,  in  his  Report  for  1861,  says,  — 

"  It  was  nine  o'clock,  in  the  evening  of  the  1 6th,  before  your  Excel 
lency  decided  to  attach  the  commands  of  Captains  Sampson  and  Dike 
to  the  Sixth  Regiment.  A  messenger  was  despatched  to  Stoneham 
with  orders  for  Captain  Dike,  who  reported  to  me,  at  eight  o'clock  the 
next  morning,  that  lie  found  Captain  Dike  at  his  house  in  Stoneham, 
at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  placed  your  Excellency's  orders  in 
his  hands  ;  that  he  read  them,  and  said,  '  Tell  the  Adjutant-General 
that  I  shall  be  at  the  State  House,  with  my  full  command,  by  eleven 
o'clock  to-day.'  True  to  his  word,  he  reported  at  the  time ;  and  that 
afternoon,  attached  to  the  Sixth,  the  company  left  for  Washington. 
Two  days  afterwards,  on  the  19th  of  April,  during  that  gallant  march 
through  Baltimore  which  is  now  a  matter  of  history,  Captain  Dike  was 
shot  down  while  leading  his  company  through  the  mob.  He  received 
a  wound  in  the  leg,  which  will  render  him  a  cripple  for  life." 

The  orders  were  promulgated  at  Stoneham  immediately. 
The  bells  of  the  several  meeting-houses  were  rung.  The  com 
pany  and  the  inhabitants  assembled.  Immediate  preparations 
to  leave  were  made.  The  citizens  made  up  a  purse  of  five  hun- 


72  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLIOX. 

dred  dollars,  and  gave  it  to  Captain  Dike,  for  the  service  of 
himself  and  company. 

At  eleven  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  of  the  17th,  the  Sixth  Regi 
ment  marched  from  Boylston  Hall  to  the  State  House,  where  it 
received  the  new  rifled  muskets  in  exchange  for  smooth-bores. 
When  in  line  in  front  of  the  State  House,  the  Governor  made 
a  short  and  eloquent  speech  to  the  regiment,  and  presented  it 
with  a  new  set  of  colors.  Colonel  Jones  received  the  colors, 
and  pledged  himself  and  the  regiment  that  they  should  never  be 
disgraced.  At  seven  o'clock  that  evening,  the  Sixth  marched  to 
the  depot  of  the  Boston  and  Worcester  Railroad,  and  embarked 
by  the  land  route  for  New  York.  At  the  depot,  and  along  the 
entire  line  of  road,  they  received  one  continued  ovation.  At 
several  places,  the  bells  were  rung,  and  salutes  of  artillery  fired. 
At  Worcester,  an  immense  throng  cheered  them  ;  at  Springfield, 
the  military  and  the  fire  department  turned  out  to  do  them 
honor.  The  regiment  reached  New  York  at  sunrise  on  the  18th, 
having  been  in  the  cars  all  night.  The  march  down  Broadway 
to  the  Astor  House,  where  the  officers  and  men  breakfasted  by 
invitation  of  the  proprietor,  General  Charles  Stetson,  and  from 
the  Astor  House  down  Cortland  Street,  to  the  Jersey-City 
Ferry,  is  described  as  one  of  the  most  grand  and  effective  scenes 
ever  witnessed.  The  wildest  enthusiasm  inspired  all  classes. 
Strong  men  wept  like  tenderly  nurtured  women,  and  silently 
implored  the  blessings  of  Heaven  upon  the  regiment,  and  the 
State  which  had  placed  it  at  the  extreme  right  of  the  Union 
column.  A  gentleman  who  witnessed  the  scene  wrote,  "I  was 
always  proud  of  my  native  State  ;  but  never  until  now  did  I 
fully  realize  how  grand  she  is."  Another  writer  thus  describes 
the  scene  :  — 

''Having  breakfasted,  they  employed  their  time  until  eleven  in 
conversation,  smoking,  and  preparing  for  the  march.  All  appeared 
determined  to  stand  by  the  old  Hag  under  all  hazards,  and  to  punish 
those  who  would  dare  to  insult  it.  Many  of  the  men  are  exceedingly 
intelligent,  and  not  a  i'ew  came  from  families  eminent  in  the  history 
of  the  old  I  Jay  State.  They  spoke  of  the  ability  of  Massachusetts  to 
send  thirty  thousand  men,  and  even  more  volunteers,  to  the  support  of 
the  Government,  if  needed.  At  eleven  o'clock,  the  various  companies, 


THE    SIXTH    IN   NEW   YORK.  73 

having  assembled  at  the  Astor  House,  formed  in  Broadway.  By  this 
time,  thousands  of  our  citizens  had  gathered  to  bid  the  brave  fellows 
God-speed.  No  language  can  describe  the  excitement  of  the  vast 
concourse.  Cheer  followed  cheer,  until  the  welkin  rung  as  with  a 
sound  of  thunder.  There  were  cheers  for  the  star-spangled  banner ; 
for  the  dear  old  flag ;  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue  ;  for  the  Government ; 
for  the  North ;  for  Lincoln  ;  for  Major  Anderson  ;  for  every  thing  the 
loyal  heart  could  suggest.  Old  men,  young  men,  and  lads  waved 
the  American  flag  over  their  heads,  pinned  it  to  their  hats  and  coats ; 
cartmen  displayed  it  on  their  horses ;  Barnum  flings  it  from  every 
window  of  the  Museum.  The  guests  of  the  Astor  House  shouted  till 
they  were  hoarse ;  so  did  the  visitors  at  the  Museum ;  and  when  at  last, 
at  half-past  eleven,  the  police  taking  the  lead,  the  regiment  took  up 
their  march  for  the  Jersey-City  Ferry,  the  enthusiasm  was  perfectly 
overwhelming.  At  every  step,  the  roar  of  the  multitude  was  increased ; 
at  every  window,  the  flags  were  waved. 

"  Turning  from  Broadway  into  Cortland  Street,  the  scene  was  such 
as  has  seldom,  if  ever,  been  seen  in  New  York.  The  stores  could 
hardly  be  seen  for  the  flags,  of  which  there  must  have  been,  on  an 
average,  one  for  every  window  in  the  stores.  Every  building  was 
thronged  with  persons  eager  to  see  the  regiment ;  while  the  sidewalks, 
awning-posts,  and  stoops  were  literally  covered  with  a  mass  of  excited 
humanity.  There  was  one  uninterrupted  and  unprecedented  cheer 
from  Broadway  to  the  ferry.  Those  who  have  witnessed  all  the  great 
demonstrations  of  the  city  for  a  half-century  back,  remember  none  so 
spontaneous  and  enthusiastic.  As  the  regiment  filed  off  to  go  upon  the 
ferry-boat,  which  was  gayly  decorated  with  flags,  as  was  the  ferry- 
house,  there  were  loud  cries  of  '  God  bless  you  ! '  '  God  bless  you ! '  and 
unbounded  cheers  for  the  Old  Bay  State." 

On  crossing  the  river,  the  troops  were  met  by  a  dense  crowd 
of  Jersey  men  and  women.  Flags  were  waved  by  hundreds  of 
fair  hands,  and  miniature  flags  were  distributed  by  them  to  the 
regiment  before  the  train  moved.  There  was  delay  in  getting 
off;  and  the  crowd  continued  to  increase,  and  the  enthusiasm 
to  grow  more  intense.  The  passage  across  New  Jersey  was 
marked  with  similar  scenes.  At  Newark,  they  were  received 
with  a  salute  of  artillery,  and  also  at  Trenton,  which  was  ordered 
by  the  Governor  of  the  State.  The  reception  at  Philadelphia 
was  a  fitting  climax  to  what  had  taken  place  elsewhere.  A 
member  of  the  regiment  wrote,  "  So  enthusiastic  were  our  friends, 


74  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLIOX. 

that  they  rushed  into  our  ranks,  threw  their  arms  about  the 
necks  of  our  soldiers,  and,  emptying  their  own  pockets  for  our 
benefit,  seemed  fairly  beside  themselves  with  joy.  I  doubt  if 
old  Massachusetts  ever,  before  or  since,  received  such  encomiums, 
or  her  sons  such  a  generous  welcome,  as  that  night  in  the  City 
of  Brotherly  Love."  The  regiment  reached  Philadelphia  at 
seven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  partook  of  a  bountiful  supper  at 
the  Continental  Hotel,  and  were  quartered  for  the  night  in  the 
Girard  House,  where  I  shall  leave  them  for  the  present. 

The  Eighth  Regiment,  which  had  arrived  in  Boston  on  the 
16th,  did  not  leave  the  city  until  the  18th.  The  field  and 
staff  officers  were  Timothy  Monroe,  of  Lynn,  colonel ;  Edward 
W.  Hinks,  of  Lynn,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Andrew  El  well,  of 
Gloucester,  major.  Colonel  Monroe  resigned  on  the  12th 
of  May:  and,  on  the  16th  of  May,  Edward  W.  Hinks  was 
elected  colonel;  Andrew  El  well,  lieutenant  -  colonel ;  and 
Ben.  Perley  Poorc,  of  Newbury,  major ;  George  Creasey,  of 
Newburyport,  was  appointed  adjutant ;  E.  Alfred  Ingalls, 
of  Lynn,  quartermaster;  Rowland  G.  Usher,  of  Lynn,  pay 
master  :  Bowman  B.  Breed,  of  Lynn,  surgeon  ;  Warren  Tapley, 
of  Lynn,  assistant-surgeon;  Gilbert  Haven,  Jr.,  of  Maiden, 
chaplain;  John  Goodwin,  Jr.,  of  Marblehead,  sergeant-major; 
Horace  E.  Monroe,  of  Lynn,  sergeant-major;  and  Samuel 
Roads,  of  Marblehead,  drum-major. 

Company  A,  "dishing  Guards,"  Newburyport.  Officers: 
Albert  W.  Bartlett,  of  Newburyport,  captain  ;  George  Barker, 
Gamaliel  Hodges,  Nathan  W.  Collins,  all  of  Newburyport, 
and  Edward  L.  Noyes,  of  Lawrence,  lieutenants. 

Company  H,  "Lafayette  Guard,"  Marblehead.  Officers: 
Richard  Phillips,  of  Marblehead,  captain;  Abiel  S.  Roads, 
Jr.,  William  S.  Roads,  and  William  Cash,  all  of  Marble- 
head,  lieutenants. 

Company  C,  «  Suttou  Light  Infantry,"  Marblehead.  Officers  : 
Knott  V.  Martin,  of  Marblehead,  captain:  Samuel  C.  Graves, 
Lorenzo  F.  Linnel,  John  II.  Ilaskell,  all  of  Marblehead, 
lieutenants. 

Company  1),  "Light  Infantry,"  Lynn.  Officers  :  George  T. 
Newhall,  of  Lynn,  captain  ;  Thomas  II.  Berry,  E.  Z.  Saunder- 
Boii,  C,  M.  Merritt,  all  of  Lynn,  lieutenants. 


EIGHTH   REGIMENT. GOVERNOR    ANDREW'S    SPEECH.       75 

Company  E,  "Light  Infantry,"  Beverly.  Officers:  Francis 
E.  Porter,  of  Beverly,  captain;  John  AY.  Eaymond,  Eleazer 
Giles,  Albert  Wallis,  and  Moses  S.  Herrick,  all  of  Beverly, 
lieutenants. 

Company  F,  "  City  Guards,"  Lynn.  Officers  :  James  Hud 
son,  Jr.,  of  Lynn,  captain;  Edward  A.  Chandler,  Henry 
Stone,  Mathias  N.  Snow,  all  of  Lynn,  lieutenants. 

Company  G,  "American  Guard,"  Gloucester.  Officers: 
Addison  Center,  of  Gloucester,  captain ;  David  W.  Lowe, 
Edward  A.  Story,  Harry  Clark,  all  of  Gloucester,  lieu 
tenants. 

Company  H,  "  Glover  Light  Guard,"  Marblehead.  Officers  : 
Francis  Boardman,  of  Marblehead,  captain;  Thomas  Russell, 
Nicholas  Bowden,  and  Joseph  S.  Caswell,  all  of  Marblehead, 
lieutenants. 

Company  I,  "Light  Infantry,"  Salem.  Officers  :  Arthur  F. 
Devereux,  of  Salem,  captain;  George  F.  Austin,  Ethan  A. 
P.  Brewster,  and  George  D.  Putnam,  all  of  Salem,  lieu 
tenants. 

This  company  belonged  to  the  Seventh  Regiment,  but  was 
ordered,  on  the  evening  of  the  17th  of  April,  to  join  the  Eighth, 
and,  at  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning,  reported  at  Faneuil  Hall 
with  full  ranks.  Before  leaving  Salem,  it  was  addressed  by  the 
Mayor  and  other  prominent  citizens.  A  great  crowd  met  it  at 
the  depot,  and  cheered  it  when  it  left.  This  company  wore  a 
Zouave  uniform,  and,  in  skirmish  drill,  was  probably  the  most 
efficient  in  the  State. 

Company  K,  "Allen  Guard,"  Pittsfield.  Officers:  Henry 
S.  Briggs,  of  Pittsfield,  captain;  Henry  H.  Richardson  and 
Robert  Bache,  both  of  Pittsfield,  lieutenants.  This  company 
was  detached  to  complete  the  organization  of  the  Eighth. 
It  was  ordered  to  join  the  regiment  at  Springfield,  when  on 
the  way  to  Washington.  The  captain  was  a  son  of  Ex-Gov 
ernor  Briggs.  Before  the  company  left  Pittsfield,  each  soldier 
was  presented  by  the  citizens  with  ten  dollars. 

On  the  18th  of  April,  the  regiment  marched  to  the  State 
House,  and  was  presented  with  a  set  of  regimental  colors  by 
Governor  Andrew,  who  also  addressed  it  as  follows  :  — 


7(3  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

"MR.  COMMANDER  AND  SOLDIERS,  —  Yesterday  you  were  citi 
zens  :  to-day  you  are  heroes.  Summoned  by  the  sudden  call  of  your 
country,  true  to  the  fortunes  of  your  flag,  to  the  inspirations  of  your 
own  hearts,  and  to  the  mighty  example  of  your  fathers,  you  have  hur 
ried  from  the  thronged  towns  of  Essex,  and  all  along  the  shore  from 
Boston  to  Cape  Ann,  famed  through  all  Massachusetts  for  noble  men, 
brave  soldiers,  and  heroic  women.  You  have  come  to  be  cradled  anew, 
one  night  in  Faneuil  Hall,  there  breathing  once  more  the  inspiration 
of  historic  American  liberty,  and  standing  beneath  the  folds  of  the 
American  banner.  [Applause.]  From  the  bottom  of  my  heart  of 
hearts,  as  the  official  representative  of  Massachusetts,  I  pay  to  you, 
soldiers,  citizens,  and  heroes,  the  homage  of  my  most  profound  grati 
tude  ;  and  the  heart  of  all  Massachusetts  beats  with  full  sympathy  to 
every  word  I  utter.  There  is  but  one  pulsation  beating  through 
all  this  beautiful  domain  of  liberty,  from  the  shores  of  Cape  Cod  to 
the  hills  of  Berkshire ;  and  the  mountain  waves  and  mountain  peaks 
answer  to  each  other.  Soldiers,  go  forth,  bearing  that  flag;  and,  as  our 
fathers  fought,  so,  if  need  be,  strike  you  the  blow. 

'  Where  breathes  the  foe  but  falls  before  us, 

With  freedom's  soil  beneath  our  feet, 
And  freedom's  banner  waving  o'er  us  ? ' 

We  stay  behind,  to  guard  the  hearthstones  you  have  left ;  and,  what 
ever  may  be  the  future,  we  will  protect  the  wives  and  children  you 
may  leave,  and,  as  you  will  be  faithful  to  the  country,  so  we  will  be 
faithful  to  them.  I  speak  to  you  as  citizens  and  soldiers,  not  of  Mas 
sachusetts,  but  of  the  American  Confederate  Union.  While  we  live, 
that  Union  shall  last.  [Applause.]  And  until  these  countless  thou 
sands,  and  all  their  posterity,  have  tasted  death,  the  Union  of  the 
American  people,  the  heritage  of  Washington,  shall  be  eternal.  [Ap- 


Snldiers!  go  forth,  bearing  with  you  the  blessing  of  your  coun 
try,  bearing  the  confidence  of  your  fellow-citizens;  and  under  the 
blessing  of  (iod,  with  stout  hearts  and  stalwart  frames,  go  forth  to  vic 
tory.  On  your  shields  be  returned,  or  bring  them  with  you.  Yours 
it  is  to  be  among  the  advanced  guard  of  Massachusetts  soldiers.  As 
such,  I  bid  you  God-speed,  and  fare-you-well." 

At  the  close  of  the  Governor's  speech,  Colonel  Monroe 
received  the  colors,  and  said,  "We  shall  do  our  duty."  Three 
cheers  were  given  for  the  regiments,  and  three  for  General  But 
ler,  who,  being  present,  advanced,  and  said,  — 


RECEPTION   AT   WORCESTER. GENERAL   BUTLER.  77 

"  SOLDIEKS,  —  We  stand  upon  that  spot  to  which  the  good  pleasure 
of  the  Commander-in-chief,  and  our  own  dearest  wishes,  have  assigned 
us.  To  lead  the  advance  guard  of  freedom  and  constitutional  liberty, 
and  of  perpetuity  of  the  Union,  is  the  honor  we  claim,  and  which, 
under  God,  we  will  maintain.  [Applause.] 

"  Sons  of  Puritans,  who  believe  in  the  providence  of  Almighty 
God !  as  he  was  with  our  fathers,  so  may  he  be  with  us  in  this  strife 
for  the  right,  for  the  good  of  all,  for  the  great  missionary  country  of 
liberty !  [Applause.]  And,  if  we  prove  recreant  to  our  trust,  may 
the  God  of  battles  prove  our  enemy  in  the  hour  of  our  utmost  need ! 

''  Soldiers  !  we  march  to-night ;  and  let  me  say  for  you  all  to  the 
good  people  of  the  Commonwealth,  that  we  will  not  turn  back,  till  we 
show  those  who  have  laid  their  hand  upon  the  fabric  of  the  Union, 
there  is  but  one  thought  in  the  North,  —  the  union  of  these  States, 
now  and  for  ever,  one  and  inseparable." 

The  regiment  left  Boston  at  four  o'clock  that  afternoon  by 
Worcester  and  Springfield,  and  was  greeted  with  the  same 
unbounded  enthusiasm  the  Sixth  received.  General  Butler 
accompanied  it  as  commander  of  the  Massachusetts  brigade. 
While  the  train  stopped  at  Worcester,  he  spoke  a  few  words  to 
the  crowd  at  the  depot.  "In  this  contest,"  he  said,  "we 
banish  party  differences.  We  are  all  Americans.  We  love 
our  country  and  its  flag ;  and  it  is  only  by  the  sword  we  can 
have  peace,  and  only  in  the  Union,  liberty." 

The  regiment  reached  New  York  on  the  morning  of  the 
19th,  and  marched  down  Broadway  amid  the  congratulations 
of  the  vast  multitude.  This  was  the  second  Massachusetts 
regiment  that  had  marched  through  that  city  in  advance  of  all 
others,  while  two  other  regiments  were  on  the  seas  for  Fortress 
Monroe.  After  partaking  of  the  generous  hospitalities  ten 
dered  them,  the  regiment  crossed  to  Jersey  City,  and  proceeded 
by  railroad  to  Philadelphia,  which  it  reached  at  six  o'clock  that 
evening,  and  first  received  positive  information  concerning  the 
attack  made  upon  the  Sixth  in  Baltimore  that  day. 

The  field  and  staff  officers  of  the  Fifth  Regiment  were,  Samuel 
C.  Lawrence,  of  Medford,  colonel ;  J.  Durell  Greene,  of 
Cambridge,  lieutenant-colonel ;  Hamlin  W.  Keyes,  of  Boston, 
major ;  Thomas  O.  Barri,  of  Cambridge,  adjutant ;  Joseph  E. 
Billings,  of  Boston,  quartermaster;  G.  Foster  Hodges,  of 


78  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

Roxbury,  paymaster;  Samuel  H.  Hurd,  of  Charlestown, 
surgeon  ;  Henry  H.  Mitchell,  of  East  Bridgewater,  surgeon's 
mate  ;  Benjamin  F.  De  Costa,  of  Charlestown,  chaplain  ;  Henry 
A.  Quincy,  of  Charlestown,  sergeant-major;  Charles  Foster, 
of  Charlestown,  drum-major. 

Several  changes  occurred  while  the  regiment  was  in  service. 
Colonel  Greene,  Major  Keyes,  and  Adjutant  Barri  wrere  ap 
pointed  officers  in  the  regular  army.  To  fill  these  vacancies, 
Captain  Pierson  was  elected  lieutenant-colonel ;  Captain  John 
T.  Boyd,  major ;  and  Lieutenant  John  G.  Chambers  was 
appointed  adjutant.  The  following  is  the  roster  of  the 
companies  :  — 

Company  A,  "  Mechanic  Light  Infantry,"  Salem.  George 
H.  Pierson,  of  Salem,  captain  ;  Edward  H.  Staten  and  Lewis 
E.  Wentworth,  of  Salem,  lieutenants. 

Company  B,  "  Richardson  Light  Guard,"  South  Reading. 
John  W.  Locke,  of  South  Reading,  captain ;  Henry  D. 
Degen,  Charles  H.  Shepard,  James  D.  Draper,  and  George 
Abbott,  all  of  South  Reading,  lieutenants. 

Company  C,  rf  Charlestown  Artillery,"  Charlestown.  William 
R.  Swan,  of  Chelsea,  captain:  Phineas  II.  Tibbetts,  of 
Charlestown;  John  W.  Rose,  of  South  Boston;  Hannibal  D. 
Norton,  of  Chelsea;  and  George  II.  Marden,  Jr.,  of  Charles- 
town,  lieutenants. 

Company  D,  "  Lighfc  Infantry,"  ILiverhill.  Officers  :  Carlos 
P.  Messer,  of  Ilaverhill,  captain  ;  George  J.  Dean,  Daniel  F. 
Smith,  Charles  II.  P.  Palmer,  and  Thomas  T.  Salter,  all  of 
Haverhi.ll,  lieutenants. 

Company  E,  "  Lawrence  Light  Guard,"  Medford.  Officers  : 
John  Ilutcliins,  of  Medford,  captain;  John  G.  Chambers 
and  Perry  Column,  of  Medford,  and  William  H.  Pattee,  of 
West  Cambridge  (Arlington),  lieutenants. 

Company  F,  "  Wardwell  Tigers,"  Boston.  Officers  :  David 
K.  Wardwell,  Hoston,  captain:  Jacob  II.  Sleeper,  of 
Boston;  George  G.  Stoddard,  of  Brookline ;  Horace  P. 
Williams,  of  Brookline  ;  and  Horatio  N.  Holbrook,  of  Boston, 
lieutenants. 

I  Ins  was  a  new  company,  recruited,  organized,  uniformed, 
and  equipped  in  two  days. 


DEPARTURE  OF  THE  FIFTH  REGIMENT.          79 

Company  G,  "  Concord  Artillery,"  Concord.  Officers : 
George  L.  Prescott,  of  Concord,  captain ;  Joseph  Derby, 
Jr.,  Humphrey  H.  Buttrick,  and  Charles  Bowers,  all  of  Concord, 
lieutenants. 

Company  H,  "City  Guards,"  Salem.  Officers:  Henry  F. 
Danforth,  of  Salem,  captain  ;  Kirk  Stark,  William  F.  Sumner, 
George  H.  Wiley,  and  John  E.  Stone,  all  of  South  Danvers, 
lieutenants. 

Company  I,  "  Light  Infantry,"  Somerville.  Officers  :  George 
O.  Brastow,  of  Somerville,  captain ;  William  E.  Robinson 
and  Frederick  R.  Kinsley,  both  of  Somerville,  lieutenants. 

Company  K,  "  City  Guards,"  Charlestown.  Officers  :  John 
T.  Boyd,  of  Charlestown,  captain ;  John  B.  Norton,  Caleb 
Drew,  and  Walter  Everett,  all  of  Charlestown,  lieutenants. 

This  regiment  did  not  receive  orders  to  report  until  Friday, 
April  19.  It  was  in  readiness  to  go  forward  the  next  day, 
but  was  detained  until  Sunday,  with  headquarters  at  Faneuil 
Hall.  The  line  was  formed  on  South  Market  Street,  at  five 
o'clock  on  Sunday  morning,  April  21  ;  and  the  regiment 
marched  to  the  Worcester  Depot.  Notwithstanding  the  early 
hour  and  the  sabbath  day,  thousands  were  on  the  streets,  and 
at  the  depot,  to  witness  the  departure.  Kind  greetings  met 
this  regiment  everywhere  on  the  route.  To  state  what  was 
said  and  done  would  be  only  a  repetition  of  what  has  already 
been  said  in  regard  to  regiments  which  had  preceded.  It 
reached  New  York  safely  on  Sunday  evening,  at  eight  o'clock. 
After  partaking  of  a  hearty  meal  at  the  hotels,  the  regiment 
was  put  on  board  of  two  transports  ;  four  companies,  under 
command  of  Major  Keyes,  going  on  board  the  "Ariel,"  and  six, 
under  command  of  Colonel  Lawrence,  on  board  the  "  De  Soto." 
The  Third  Battalion  of  Massachusetts  Rifles,  under  command  of 
Major  Devens,  and  Major  Cook's  Light  Battery,  were  placed 
on  board  the  same  vessels  ;  the  former  in  the  "  De  Soto,"  and 
the  latter  in  the  "  Ariel." 

The  duties  of  the  week  had  been  incessant  day  and  night  at 
the  State  House.  The  attack  upon  the  Sixth  Regiment  in 
Baltimore  had  added  to  the  number  of  people  who  crowded  in, 
and  intensified  the  earnest  feelings  of  every  one.  Late  on 


80  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

Friday  night  (the  19th),  the  Adjutant-General,  wearied  with  the 
labors  of  the  four  preceding  days,  left  the  State  House  with 
Senator  Wilson.  They  obtained  lodging  at  Young's  Coffee 
House.  About  four  o'clock  on  Saturday  morning,  a  messenger 
brought  an  order  to  him  from  Governor  Andrew,  that  a  tele 
gram  had  just  been  received  from  General  Butler,  at  Philadelphia, 
to  send  forward  immediately  Major  Cook's  Light  Battery.  The 
Governor's  orders  were  to  notify  the  officers  at  once,  that  the 
battery  might  be  ready,  and  pushed  forward  that  night.  The 
Adjutant-General  told  the  messenger  to  get  a  carriage,  and  he 
would  be  ready  by  the  time  he  returned.  Major  Cook  lived  in 
Somerville,  but  in  what  part  of  it  he  did  not  know.  The  ad 
jutant  lived  in  Chester  Square,  Boston  :  he  ordered  the  carriage 
to  drive  there.  The  city  was  asleep  ;  not  a  human  being  was 
on  the  streets.  The  silence  of  the  great  city  appeared  more 
impressive  and  profound  than  that  of  a  primeval  forest.  At 
Chester  Square,  he  learned  that  the  adjutant  had  sailed  for 
Europe  the  week  before.  lie  then  was  driven  to  Cambridge 
Street,  where  the  former  commander  of  the  battery,  Major  Nims, 
lived.  He  was  aroused  from  a  sound  sleep,  and  informed  of  the 
purpose  of  the  errand.  He  knew  where  Major  Cook  lived,  and 
volunteered  to  carry  the  orders  to  him  without  delay.  The 
orderly  sergeant  of  the  company  boarded  in  McLean  Place. 
The  Adjutant-General  found  him  also  asleep  ;  but  soon  aroused 
him,  and  ordered  him  to  notify  the  company.  The  sergeant 
said  he  "knew  where  every  man  lived,  and  they  all  wanted  to 
go."  Early  in  the  forenoon,  the  company  reported  with  full 
ranks.  The  Quartermaster-General  succeeding  in  purchasing 

O  I  O 

horses,  and  providing  ammunition.  The  field  and  staff  were 
Asa  M.  Cook,  of  Somerville,  major;  Frederick  A.  Heath,  of 
Boston,  adjutant;  Thomas  J.  Eoss,  of  Boston,  quartermaster; 
John  P.  Ordway,  of  Boston,  surgeon;  E.  Le  Baron  Monroe, 
assistant-surgeon  ;  Josiah  Porter,  of  North  Cambridge  ;  William 

.  McCartney,  of  Boston  ;  C.  C.  E.  Mortimer,  of  Boston  ;  and 
Robert  J,.  Sawin,  of  Boston,  lieutenants. 

The  company  numbered  one  hundred  and  twenty  men.  The 
battery  had  six  brass  six-pounders.  They  took  with  them  seventy 
horses,  selected  mainly  from  the  stables  of  the  Metropolitan  Horse 


THE    RIFLE    BATTALION   AT    WORCESTER.  81 

railrcad  Company,  and  ten  tons  of  cartridges  of  shot  and 
grape.  They  marched  to  the  Worcester  Kailroad  Depot,  be 
tween  one  and  two  o'clock  that  afternoon,  ready  to  start;  but 
waited  until  the  next  morning  for  the  Fifth  Regiment.  They 
went  to  New  York  in  the  same  train  with  the  Fifth,  and  to  Anna 
polis  in  the  transports  with  four  of  the  companies  of  that  regiment. 

Orders  were  issued  from  the  State  House  on  Saturday,  the 
20th  of  April,  for  the  Third  Battalion  to  go  forward  to  Wash 
ington.  It  consisted  then  of  three  companies,  with  head 
quarters  in  Worcester.  They  were  in  line,  ready  to  proceed,  at 
five  o'clock  that  afternoon.  The  battalion  was  addressed  by 
Hon.  Isaac  Davis,  Mayor  of  Worcester,  and  by  Major  Devens, 
in  command.  A  prayer  by  Rev.  Dr.  Hill  closed  the  ceremony. 
At  half-past  ten  that  evening,  they  took  the  cars  for  New  York, 
where  they  arrived  early  on  the  morning  of  the  21st.  While 
there,  they  quartered  in  the  armory  of  the  New- York  Seventh. 
During  the  day,  they  were  visited  by  Hon.  Charles  Sumner, 
who  made  a  short  address.  At  eight  o'clock,  they  embarked  on 
board  the  transport  "Ariel"  for  Annapolis,  with  a  part  of  the 
Fifth  Regiment,  and  arrived  at  Annapolis  on  the  morning  of 
the  24th,  \vhere  they  remained  until  the  2d  of  May,  when  they 
were  ordered  to  Fort  McHenry,  in  the  harbor  of  Baltimore, 
which  they  reached  by  transport  on  the  morning  of  the  third. 

The  field  and  staff  of  the  Third  Battalion  of  Rifles  were, 
Charles  Devens,  Jr.,  major;  John  M.  Goodhue,  adjutant; 
James  E.  Estabrook,  quartermaster;  Oramel  Martin,  surgeon; 
Nathaniel  S.  Liscomb,  sergeant-major ;  George  T.  White, 
quartermaster-sergeant,  —  all  of  Worcester. 

Company  A,  "  City  Guards,"  Worcester.  Officers  :  Augus 
tus  R.  B.  Sprague,  captain ;  Josiah  Pickett,  George  C.  Joslin, 
Orson  Moulton,  Elijah  A.  Harkness,  lieutenants,  —  all  of 
Worcester. 

Company  B,  "Holden  Rifles,"  Holden.  Officers:  Joseph 
H.  Gleason,  of  Holden,  captain  :  Phineas  R.  Newell,  Holden  ; 
Edward  F.  Devens,  Charlestown ;  Samuel  F.  Woods,  Barre ; 
George  Bascom,  Holden,  lieutenants. 

Company  C,  "  Emmet  Guards,"  Worcester.  Officers  :  Mi 
chael  P.  McConville,  captain ;  Michael  O'Driscoll,  Matthew  J. 


82  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

McCafferty.  Thomas  O'Neil,  and  Maurice  Melvin,  lieutenants, — 
all  of  Worcester. 

Company  D,  Boston.  Officers:  Albert  Dodd,  captain; 
Charles  Dodd,  Cornelius  G.  Atwood,  George  A.  Hicks,  and 
Joseph  Nason,  lieutenants,  —  all  of  Boston. 

Company  D  was  raised  in  Boston  on  the  morning  of  the  19th 
of  April,  by  the  gentlemen  who  were  afterwards  commissioned  its 
officers.  It  was  attached  to  the  Third  Battalion,  and  left  Bos 
ton  in  the  steamer  "Cambridge"  on  the  2d  of  May  for  Fortress 
Monroe,  and  from  thence  by  the  Potomac  Eiver  to  Washing 
ton.  The  vessel  sailed  from  Boston  with  sealed  instructions, 
which  were  not  opened  until  outside  of  Boston  Light.  In 
these  instructions  to  Captain  Dodd,  the  Adjutant-General  says, 
"  It  is  the  earnest  desire  of  His  Excellency  the  Commander-in- 
chief,  that  the  ship  'Cambridge'  shall  reach  Washington,  and 
demonstrate  that  a  Massachusetts  ship,  manned  with  Massachu 
setts  men,  shall  be  the  first  ship  to  arrive  by  that  route,  as  our 
Sixth  Regiment  was  the  first  to  arrive  at  Washington,  through 
the  hostile  city  of  Baltimore."  The  "Cambridge"  arrived  safely 
with  the  company,  and  was  the  first  that  reached  Washington 
by  the  Potomac  River.  After  remaining  in  Washington  twelve 
days,  the  command  was  sent  to  Fort  McHenry,  Baltimore 
harbor,  and  joined  the  Battalion. 

The  Third  Battalion  completed  the  number  of  three-months 
men  called  for  by  the  Government,  which  consisted  of  five 
regiments,  one  battalion,  and  one  battery. 

By  the  constitution  and  laws  of  Massachusetts,  company 
officers  were  elected  by  the  men  composing  the  company,  regi 
mental  officers  by  the  commissioned  officers  of  companies, 
brigadier-generals  by  the  regimental  field-officers  of  the  brigade, 
and  major-generals  by  the  Legislature.  The  General  Statutes 
of  the  Commonwealth  allowed  four  lieutenants  to  each  infantry 
company.  Jn  the  regular  army,  only  two  lieutenants  were 
allowed  to  a  company  of  infantry.  The  reader  will  have 
observed  that  some  of  the  companies  in  the  regiments  forwarded 
to  the  front  had  two,  some  three,  and  some  four  lieutenants. 
This  was  permitted  by  our  laws.  The  extra  lieutenants  belong 
ing  to  the  two  regiments  sent  to  Fortress  Monroe  were  not 


THE    CHARACTER   OF   THE    MILITIA.  .    83 

mustered  into  the  service,  the  mustering  officers  refusing  to  mus 
ter  them.  They  had,  therefore,  either  to  return  home,  or  join 
the  ranks  as  enlisted  men.  In  the  regiments  which  were  sent 
to  Washington,  the  extra  lieutenants  were  mustered  in,  and 
served  with  their  companies  to  the  end  of  their  terms.  The 
reason  for  this  distinction  has  never  been  given. 

The  material  of  these  commands  was  of  the  best.  They 
were  young  men  who  had  a  taste  for  military  duty.  They  were 
from  the  middle  walks  of  life,  and  depended  upon  their  health 
and  hands  for  support.  Most  of  them  were  mechanics,  farmers' 
sons,  and  clerks  in  stores.  They  bought  their  own  uniforms, 
and  paid  company  assessments  out  of  their  own  pockets.  They 
were  public-spirited,  full  of  life,  and  knew  their  duty.  Many 
of  the  companies  had  honorable  records,  running  back  to  the 
war  of  1812,  of  which  they  were  proud.  They  had  rivalries 
and  jealousies.  They  demanded  their  right  position  in  the  regi 
mental  line,  and  would  have  it.  They  obeyed  their  officers 
because  they  were  their  officers,  and  held  positions  by  their 
votes.  They  chose  the  color  and  style  of  their  own  uniforms. 
If  a  rival  company  wore  blue,  they  would  have  gray  or  red. 
The  uniforms  in  a  regiment  were  variegated,  like  the  colors  of 
a  rainbow.  They  were  made  more  for  show  than  use,  as  active 
service  proved.  Yet  they  cost  much  money.  But  it  was  no 
one's  business  but  their  own,  as  they  paid  the  bills.  They  had 
their  pet  names,  as  well  as  the  regimental  letter,  and  they 
preferred  being  known  by  the  name  they  had  themselves  chosen. 
Thus  there  were  the  N.  E.  G.'s  and  B.  L.  I.'s,  the  "Tigers," 
the  "  Savages,"  and  the  "Guards."  Each  had  its  friends  and 
followers,  and  each  its  enemies  and  detractors.  Yet  beneath 
all  these  there  was  a  substratum  of  genuine  good  feeling,  and  a 
soldierly  pride.  The  very  opposition  they  received  from  those 
who  laughed  or  sneered  at  the  militia  cemented  them  in  closer 
union,  and  made  them  more  determined  to  be  militia.  Their 
armories  were  their  own.  There  they  could  meet  and  drill,  and 
talk  back  at  the  outside  world,  free  from  interruption,  as  in 
their  own  homes.  These  they  adorned  with  pictures  of  old 
generals,  photographs  of  former  captains,  and  fac-similes  of 
the  Declaration  of  Independence.  There  they  talked  of  bygone 


84  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

musters  and  sham  fights,  and  of  excursions  to  neighboring  cit 
ies  and  States,  and  of  receptions  given  in  return.  The  dates  of 
prominent  events  were  fixed  by  the  year  of  such  a  spring  train 
ing  or  fall  review.  The  politics  of  the  members  were  not  of 
the  intense  type.  Their  votes  were  generally  given  to  men  who 
were  friendly  to  the  military,  and  politicians  sometimes  made 
nominations  with  a  view  to  catch  their  votes.  On  public  affairs, 
they  were  simply  friends  of  their  country,  with  a  strong  leaning 
toward  liberal  legislation  and  popular  rights.  They  were,  of  all 
the  community,  the  least  fanatical  in  religion,  and  the  least  dog 
matic  in  politics.  They  took  a  broad  view  of  their  country  and 
its  institutions.  They  were  stronger  Union  men  than  they  could 
explain.  If  the  Union  was  attacked,  it  was  their  duty  to 
defend.  This  they  knew,  and  were  ready.  There  was  no  hatred 
in  their  hearts  to  any  living  man.  If  the  mob  in  Baltimore 
had  known  the  men  they  attacked  and  murdered  on  the  19th  of 
April,  they  would  have  welcomed  them  with  open  hands,  instead 
of  with  death.  These  were  the  men  who  saved  Fortress  Mon 
roe  and  the  city  of  Washington,  as  we  shall  now  proceed  to 
show. 

We  left  the  Third  Regiment  on  board  the  transport,  bound 
for  Fortress  Monroe.  The  following  is  its  record  :  — 

o 

"  At  ten  o'clock,  A.M.,  April  18,  weighed  anchor,  and  steamed  out 
of  Boston  harbor,  bound  for  Fort  Monroe.  Arrived  at  Fort  Mon 
roe  at  eight,  A.M.,  April  20,  disembarked  at  eleven,  A.M.,  and  marched 
into  the  fort,  every  man  for  duty.  Found  the  Fourth  Regiment 
there,  which  had  arrived  two  hours  before,  and  seven  companies  of 
United  -  States  artillery  in  garrison.  Colonel  Dimick,  commanding 
post,  asked  Colonel  Wardrop  'if  he  was  a  minute-man.'  He  an 
swered,  '  Yes.'  - '  How  long  will  it  take  to  get  your  regiment 
ready  ? '  -  -'  Fifteen  minutes.'  — '  Get  it.'  In  ten  minutes,  he  received 
the  following  order  :  — 

HEADQUARTERS,  FORT  MONROE,  VA.,  April  19,  1861. 
Order  No.  55. 

The  Colonel  of  the  Third  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Volunteers  will 
diately  report  for  orders  to  Commodore  Paulding,  United-States  Navy. 

By  order  of  Colonel  Dimick, 
(Signed)  T.  J.  HAINES,  Adjutant. 


THE  THIRD  REGIMENT  AT  NORFOLK  NAVY  YARD.     85 

"  Colonel  Wardrop  requested  to  know  the  object,  and  was  informed 
that  it  was  to  hold  possession  of  Gosport  Navy  Yard.  Colonel 
Wardrop  reported  to  Captain  Paulding,  U.S.N.,  at  four  o'clock, 
P.M.,  and  was  ordered  to  embark  on  board  of  United-States  steamer 
1  Pawnee,'  which  was  done  at  once,  without  a  -single  ration ;  Captain 
Paulding  saying  he  could  not  wait,  and  that  rations  would  be  obtained 
at  the  yard.  Left  Fort  Monroe  at  five,  P.M.  At  dusk,  reached  the 
mouth  of  the  Elizabeth  River,  and  found  the  enemy  had  sunk  five  ves 
sels  in  the  channel  to  obstruct  the  passage.  Between  seven  and  eight, 
P.M.,  a  river  steamer,  loaded  with  passengers,  passed  us,  bound  to  Nor 
folk.  Our  men  were  kept  out  of  sight.  At  nine,  P.M.,  when  within 
about  two  hundred  yards  of  United-States  frigate  *  Cumberland,' 
were  hailed  by  an  officer  from  her.  They  did  not  appear  to  hear  our 
answer,  when  the  officer  hailed  us  again.  Same  effect.  Then  we  dis 
tinctly  heard  from  the  deck  of  the  '  Cumberland '  a  voice,  saying, '  Shall 
I  fire,  sir  ? '  At  the  same  moment,  we  saw  six  ports  opened  from 
United-States  ship  '  Pennsylvania.'  She  was  lying  broadside  to  us. 
It  was  an  anxious  moment.  It  seemed  as  if  our  friends  were  intend 
ing  to  do  the  enemy's  work.  Another  hail  from  the  *  Cumberland,'  an 
answer  from  us,  and  the  same  voice,  '  Shall  I  fire,  sir  ?  '  A  hundred 
voices  yelled  '  Pawnee,'  and  then  cheer  upon  cheer  broke  from  the 
'  Cumberland  '  and  '  Pennsylvania,'  and  as  heartily  answered  by  us,  who 
felt  relieved  from  peril.  The  regiment  immediately  disembarked,  and 
marched  to  a  central  position  in  the  yard,  and  ordered  to  find  quarters 
and  rations  ;  did  not  succeed  in  doing  either.  About  eleven,  P.M., 
Captain  Paulding  informed  Colonel  Wardrop  that  he  had  been  ordered 
to  send  out  the  United-States  vessels  '  Merrimac,'  '  Raritan,'  *  German- 
town,'  arid  '  Cumberland,'  and  destroy  all  public  property  that  he  could 
not  carry  away ;  that  he  had  intended  to  hold  the  yard,  if  possible  ;  but, 
from  Captain  Pendergast's  representation,  he  doubted  if  he  could. 
Captain  Pendergast  had  felt  so  sure  of  this,  that  he  had  commenced 
destroying  property  during  the  afternoon,  and  had  scuttled  the  very 
ships  that  he  had  been  ordered  to  take  away.  Colonel  Wardrop 
thought  the  yard  might  be  held,  and  begged  that  Captain  Paulding 
would  consider  the  great  stake,  and  try  by  some  means  to  save  the  place. 
Captain  Paulding  said  he  would  consult  again  before  deciding.  Near 
midnight,  Captain  Paulding  informed  Colonel  Wardrop,  in  presence 
of  Captain  Pendergast,  that  he  could  not  hold  the  yard,  but  should 
destroy  all  the  buildings  and  ships  and  other  property.  Colonel  Ward 
rop  remonstrated  strongly  ;  advising  that  the  «  Cumberland '  retain  her 
position,  while  the  *  Pawnee '  ran  up  and  down  the  river,  preventing  the 
enemy  from  sinking  any  more  obstruction,  or  building  batteries  on  the 


86  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

banks  of  the  river,  while  his  regiment  manned  the  walls,  and  put 
the  yard  in  the  best  state  of  defence  possible.  If  we  were  attacked, 
to  threaten  a  bombardment  of  the  cities  of  Norfolk  and  Portsmouth  ; 
that  we  could  not  destroy  all  the  large  guns  in  the  yard  (variously 
estimated  from  one  thousand  to  twenty-five  hundred)  that  night ;  that 
together,  in  his  opinion,  the  place  could  be  held  until  sufficient  re- 
enforcements  arrived  ;  that  the  great  importance  of  the  place  demanded 
that  a  great  risk  should  be  taken  for  its  preservation.  Captain  Pen- 
dergast  said  the  enemy  was  too  strong  for  us,  and  that,  if  we  did  not 
get  away  with  the  two  vessels  that  night,  we  never  should ;  and  that 
every  moment  lessened  our  chances  ;  and  that  the  '  Cumberland '  ought 
to  be  saved  at  all  hazards,  being,  in  his  opinion,  more  valuable  than  all 
else.  The  two  captains  then  had  a  private  consultation,  from  which 
Colonel  Wardrop  was  quietly  excluded.  Shortly  afterwards,  Captain 
Paulding  informed  the  colonel  that  he  should  withdraw  the  two  ships, 
and  abandon  the  yard ;  and  then  ordered  him  to  furnish  eighty 
men  to  assist  in  undermining  the  dry  dock,  another  detail  to  assist 
in  firing  the  buildings  and  vessels,  and  the  balance  were  employed  in 
rolling  solid  shot  overboard.  During  this  time,  a  mob  broke  into  the 
yard,  but  were  promptly  driven  out  by  the  marines  and  our  regiment. 
About  three  o'clock,  A.M.,  of  the  21st,  the  regiment  embarked  on  board 
of  the  '  Pawnee,'  and  dropped  down  the  river  a  short  distance.  At  four, 
A.M.,  every  thing  was  fired  that  would  burn.  We  waited  until  five 
o'clock,  A.M.,  before  all  the  men  returned  by  small  boats,  when  we  found 
that  Captain  II.  G.  Wright,  United-States  engineer,  and  Captain  John 
Rodgers,  United-States  Navy,  had  been  captured  by  the  enemy.  The 
ships  were  burned  to  the  water's  edge,  excepting  the  4  United  States ;'  and 
she  was  so  old  and  rotten  she  would  not  burn.  The  public  buildings 
were  mostly  destroyed.  Some,  however,  were  but  slightly  damaged. 
After  all  our  trouble  with  the  dry  dock,  the  mine  did  not  explode. 
We  succeeded  in  knocking  off  the  trunnions  of  seven  guns  :  the  others 
were  useful  to  the  rebels.  When  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Elizabeth  River,  we  found  the  enemy  had  almost  obstructed  the  chan 
nel.  The  *  Pawnee '  passed  through  ;  the  '  Cumberland  '  did  not  that 
afternoon,  when  they  turned  one  of  the  sunken  vessels,  and  passed 
through,  and  anchored  off  the  fort.  We  disembarked  from  the  '  Paw 
nee  '  a  little  after  eight  o'clock,  A.M.,  and  marched  into  the  fort  to  our 
quarters,  having  eaten  nothing  since  the  day  before.  Thus  ended  the 
Norfolk  expedition. 

''  April  22,  the  regiment  became  a  part  of  the  garrison  of  Fort  Mon- 
April  2,S,  the  regiment  was  properly  mustered  into  the  United- 
States  service  for  three  months.     Companies  I  and  M  joined  May  14. 


THE  THIRD  REGIMENT  AT  NORFOLK  NAVY  YARD.      87 

Company  I,  Captain  Chamberlain,  was  raised  in  Lynn,  for  three  years' 
service ;  company  M,  Captain  Tyler,  was  raised  in  Boston,  for  three 
years'  service.  Companies  D  and  E  joined  the  regiment  May  22 ; 
Company  D,  Captain  Chipman,  raised  at  Sandwich  ;  Company  E, 
Captain  Doten,  raised  at  Plymouth,  for  three  years'  service.  On  this 
day,  Major-General  Butler  assumed  command  of  the  Department  of 
Virginia,  North  and  South  Carolina,  headquarters  at  Fort  Monroe. 
May  27,  Company  G,  of  Lowell,  Captain  P.  A.  Davis,  was  assigned 
to  the  regiment  temporarily. 

"July  1,  the  regiment  and  naval  brigade  left  Fort  Monroe  early  in 
the  morning,  crossed  Hampton  Creek,  and  occupied  the  town ;  had  a  slight 
skirmish  with  the  enemy ;  took  up  quarters  in  the  town,  and  estab 
lished  advanced  posts  on  the  outskirts.  The  Fourth  Regiment  was 
added  to  the  command,  and  all  placed  under  Brigadier- General  Eben- 
ezer  W.  Peirce.  The  duties  on  the  outposts  were  arduous  and  harassing, 
as  the  enemy  was  hovering  about  the  lines,  firing  upon  the  sentinels 
occasionally,  and  attempting  to  capture  some  of  the  most  distant  posts  ; 
but,  by  keeping  out  beyond  our  lines  strong  bodies  of  scouts  and 
skirmishing  parties,  we  soon  drove  them  from  our  vicinity.  July  4,  at 
night,  a  strong  body  of  the  enemy,  having  artillery  and  cavalry,  crossed 
New-Market  Bridge,  threatening  Hampton.  At  two  o'clock,  on  the 
morning  of  the  5th,  Colonel  Wardrop,  with  nine  companies  of  the 
Third  and  seven  companies  of  the  naval  brigade,  with  four  pieces  of 
artillery,  marched  out.  and  took  up  position  at  the  forks  of  the  road, 
two  miles  from  Hampton.  Remained  there  until  an  hour  after  sun 
rise,  when  the  scouts  brought  the  intelligence  that  the  enemy  had 
retired  beyond  the  New-Market  Bridge.  Returned  to  quarters  with 
out  firing  a  shot.  Immediately  sent  out  fresh  scouts,  who  followed 
the  enemy  to  Big  Bethel.  They  saw  a  regiment  march  from  there 
that  night,  and  followed  it  to  within  five  miles  of  Yorktown  ;  then 
passed  over  to  Lee's  Mills,  on  the  James  River,  crossed  the  Warwick 
River,  and  returned  by  way  of  Buck  River,  without  losing  a  man. 
This  party  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Chamberlin,  Company  C, 
and  consisted  of  thirty-five  of  his  own  men.  They  were  absent  a 
little  over  five  days.  Too  much  credit  cannot  be  given  for  the  skill, 
courage,  and  fidelity  displayed  by  this  scouting  party.  A  remarkably 
correct  report  of  the  enemy's  position  and  strength  on  the  Peninsula 
was  made  by  Lieutenant  Chamberlin,  which,  ten  months  after,  was 
verified.  During  all  this  time,  the  troops  in  Hampton  were  busily 
engaged  in  finishing  the  intrenchments,  sending  detachments  on  water 
expeditions,  &c.  It  was  a  remarkable  fact,  that  grumbling  ceased 
among  the  men  when  the  regiment  marched  out  of  Fort  Monroe. 


88  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

The  harder  the  duties,  the  more  contented  they  seemed  to  be,  like  men 
determined  to  perform  the  most  disagreeable  duties  cheerfully,  forget 
ting  self  in  patriotic  desire  to  benefit  their  country.  On  the  16th  of 
July,  the  regiment,  leaving  Companies  D,  E,  I,  and  M,  who  had  enlisted 
for  three  years,  behind,  marched  into  Fort  Monroe,  where,  by  order 
of  General  Butler,  they  gave  up  their  rifled  muskets  for  old  smooth 
bore  muskets,  and  five  rounds  of  ammunition  and  four  days'  rations, 
embarked  on  board  of  steamer  '  Cambridge,'  at  four,  P.M.,  and  left  for 
Boston  about  five,  P.M.  ;  arrived  at  Long  Island,  Boston  harbor,  about 
daylight.  July  19,  disembarked  at  Long  Island  about  ten,  A.M.  Re 
ported  to  the  Adjutant- General  of  the  State.  Was  mustered  out  of 
the  service  of  the  United  States  July  23,  1861." 

The  Fourth  Regiment  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe  on  the 
morning  of  April  20.  The  adjutant  of  the  regiment  writes, 
"At  daybreak,  the  long  low  lines  of  the  fort  were  visible. 
Anxiously  the  regiment  watched  as  the  boat  lay  off  and  on, 
until  at  sunrise  they  saw  the  old  flag  unfolding  from  the  flag 
staff.  The  men  were  quickly  landed,  and,  amid  the  cheers  of 
the  little  garrison,  marched  into  the  fort."  This  was  the  first 
loyal  regiment  in  the  war  that  landed  upon  the  "  sacred  soil  of 
Virginia."  The  adjutant  continues,  "  Hardly  was  the  regiment 
well  in  quarters  before  their  labors  commenced.  The  fort  was 
found  to  be  almost  unarmed  on  the  land  side,  and  ill  supplied 
with  material  of  war.  For  several  weeks  the  men  were  em 
ployed  mounting  heavy  guns,  unloading  vessels,  storing  provi 
sions,  and  keeping  guard.  General  Butler  arrived  about  the 
middle  of  May,  and  took  command  of  the  Department  of  Vir 
ginia."  On  the  27th  of  May,  the  Fourth  Regiment,  in  conjunc 
tion  with  a  New-York  regiment  under  Colonel  Bendix,  and  a 
Vermont  regiment  under  Colonel  Phelps,  took  possession  of 
Newport  News,  and  made  an  entrenched  camp.  Here  the  regi 
ment  remained,  there  doing  the  usual  camp  duty,  until  the  9th 
of  June,  when  "  five  companies  were  detailed,  with  a  portion  of 
the  Vermont  and  New-York  regiments,  to  make  up  a  detach 
ment  to  join  one  from  Hampton,  to  start  at  one  o'clock  the  next 
morning  to  attack  Big  Bethel,  a  position  held  by  the  enemy 
about  twelve  miles  from  Newport  News.  Of  the  battle  of  Big 
Bethel  it  is  needless  to  go  into  details.  Its  unfortunate  result 


THE    FOURTH   REGIMENT    THE    FIRST    IN   VIRGINIA.  89 

[says  Adjutant  Walker]  was  owing  to  a  variety  of  causes  ;  but 
if  other  troops  had  done  their  duty  as  well,  and  gone  as  far  as 
those  from  Massachusetts  and  Vermont,  the  name  of  Big  Bethel 
would  not  have  headed  a  long  list  of  federal  repulses."  Major 
Whittemore  was  the  officer  who  reported  to  the  commander  of 
the  fort.  In  a  letter  never  published  before,  he  says,  — 

"  I  was  the  first  to  step  on  shore,  and  the  regiment  was  reported 
by  myself  to  the  Officer  of  the  Day.  I  inquired  of  him  who  had  pos 
session  of  this  fort,  —  the  regulars  or  the  rebels?  He  replied,  United- 
States  regulars.  He  was  answered,  'Then  the  Fourth  Regiment,  Mas 
sachusetts  Militia,  has  come  to  help  you  keep  it.'  On  the  22d  of  April, 
we  were  mustered  into  the  United-States  service,  and  were,  as  I  believe, 
the  first  troops  mustered.  We  remained  at  the  fort  some  two  or  three 
weeks,  engaged  in  mounting  guns,  and  on  the  work  necessary  to  put 
the  place  in  suitable  condition  for  defence.  Some  time  in  May,  Gen 
eral  Butler  arrived ;  and  one  of  the  first  things  he  did  was  to  send 
three  regiments,  of  which  the  Fourth  was  one,  about  twelve  miles  up 
the  river  to  Newport  News.  We  set  to  work,  as  soon  as  we  could 
obtain  tools,  at  building  entrenchments,  and  were  engaged  in  this  work 
all  of  the  time  until  our  departure  in  the  latter  part  of  June.  While 
here,  the  affairs  at  Little  Bethel  and  Great  Bethel  occurred,  which 
might  have  had,  and  ought  to  have  had,  and  would  have  had,  a  very 
different  result. 

"  Five  companies  of  the  Fourth  took  part  in  this  expedition,  and 
were  under  my  command,  and  we  were  all  volunteers.  The  march 
was  commenced  at  12^,  A.M.,  and  continued  until  daylight  without 
interruption.  Then,  unfortunately,  Colonel  Townsend's  regiment  of 
Troy,  N.Y.,  was  mistaken  for  rebels,  and  a  fire  was  opened  between 
it  and  our  rearguard,  composed  of  a  part  of  Colonel  Bendix's  New- 
York  volunteers,  which  resulted  in  the  killing  and  wounding  of  eleven 
men  of  Townsend's  command.  Further  damage  was  prevented,  and 
the  affair  ended,  by  the  major  of  the  Fourth  Massachusetts  riding  out 
alone  in  front  of  his  line,  and  discovering  the  New- York  troops.  This 
mishap  made  it  evident  that  the  object  of  our  expedition,  if  it  had 
any,  had  been  frustrated ;  and  it  was  the  pretty  general  opinion,  that 
the  best  thing  to  be  done  was  to  return  to  camp.  It  was  decided, 
however,  to  go  on ;  and  we  marched  until  within  gunshot  of  Big 
Bethel,  when  the  rebels  opened  fire  with  a  rifled  gun.  The  troops 
were  immediately  put  in  line  for  an  attack ;  and  the  five  Massachusetts 
companies  were  ordered  to  turn  the  enemy's  left,  in  connection  with 


90  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

five  companies  of  the  First  Vermont.  This  they  proceeded  to  do, 
and  were  gallantly  and  rapidly  succeeding,  some  of  my  men  being  on 
the  very  brink  of  the  works,  when  Colonel  Townsend,  of  New  York, 
peremptorily  ordered  a  retreat.  The  Massachusetts  men  retired  in 
good  order,  having  had  two  men  killed  and  one  mortally  wounded, 
and  were  drawn  up  on  the  same  line  they  started  from,  where  I  soon 
reported  to  General  Peirce,  expecting  to  receive  orders  to  go  in  again. 
I  now  learned  that  General  Peirce  —  as  brave  a  man  as  I  have  ever 
seen  in  battle  *  —  had  not  ordered  a  retreat,  nor  did  he  intend  to  do 
so ;  but  circumstances  beyond  his  control  compelled  him  to  do  so,  and 
the  five  Massachusetts  companies  brought  up  the  rear  on  the  march 
back  to  camp,  whither  they  returned  in  good  order,  and  marched  into 
Newport  News  with  closed  ranks  and  shouldered  arms,  feeling  that 
they  at  least  had  done  their  duty,  and  with  no  reason  to  be  ashamed 
of  their  part  in  this  the  first  battle  of  the  war. 

"  Thus  the  Fourth  Massachusetts,  under  my  command,  were  the 
first  troops  from  Massachusetts  in  the  first  battle  of  the  war.  I  have 
been  in  many  actions  since ;  but  never  have  I  seen  a  hotter  fire  than 
that  at  Great  Bethel.  After  this,  until  our  departure  from  Newport 
News,  nothing  of  consequence  occurred." 

The  Fourth  remained  at  Newport  News  until  the  3d  of  July, 
when  it  moved  to  the  village  of  Hampton.  Adjutant  Walker 
writes,  "On  our  arrival  at  Hampton,  we  found  the  quaint  old 
town  deserted.  Hardly  a  score  of  its  former  white  inhabitants 
remained,  although  many  negroes,  especially  old  and  very  young 
ones,  were  still  there.  The  troops  had  quarters  assigned  them 
in  the  various  houses,  and  remained  there  undisturbed  until 
Wednesday,  July  11,  when  we  marched  over  to  Fortress  Mon 
roe,  preparatory  to  embarking  for  home."  Previous  to  leaving, 
their  Springfield  rifled  muskets  were  exchanged  for  old  smooth 
bores.  On  the  eve  of  departure,  the  regiment  was  addressed 
by  General  Butler  and  Colonel  Diraick.  On  the  15th  of 
July,  it  embarked  on  board  the  steamer  "  S.  R.  Spaulding," 
and  in  fifty-six  hours  arrived  in  Boston  harbor,  after  an  absence 
of  three  months.  It  was  mustered  out  at  Long  Island,  Boston 
harbor,  on  the  22d  of  July. 

The  Fifth  Regiment  arrived  at  Annapolis  on  the  morning  of 

*  Major  Whittemore  was  afterwards  major  and  lieutenant-colonel  of  the 
Thirtieth  Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  and  served  three  years. 


THE    FIFTH    REGIMENT    AT   BULL    RUN.  91 

the  24th  of  April,  and  landed  in  the  afternoon.  The  next  day, 
the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Washington.  Only  four  com 
panies  could  find  car  accommodation  to  the  Annapolis  Junction. 
The  other  six,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Greene, 
marched  to  that  point.  The  regiment  arrived  in  Washington 
on  the  26th,  and  was  quartered  in  the  Treasury  building;  and 
was  mustered  into  the  United-States  service  on  the  1st  of  May. 
From  that  time  to  the  24th  of  May,  the  regiment  was  exercised 
in  drill.  On  the  25th,  it  was  ordered  to  Alexandria,  and, 
marching  across  the  Long  Bridge,  entered  Virginia,  and  that 
evening  encamped  near  Alexandria.  The  regiment  had  only 
brought  with  it  the  State  colors.  Several  Massachusetts  gentle 
men  in  Washington  presented  it  with  a  handsome  national  flag. 
On  the  28th,  they  formed  camp  near  Shuter's  Hill,  not  far  from 
Alexandria,  and  named  it  "  Camp  Andrew,"  in  honor  of  the 
Governor  of  Massachusetts.  Nothing  of  special  interest  oc 
curred  until  the  25th  of  June,  when  Lieutenant-Colonel  Greene, 
Major  Keyes,  and  Adjutant  Barri,  having  been  appointed 
officers  in  the  regular  army,  took  leave  of  the  regiment.  This 
was  a  grievous  loss  ;  for  the  gentlemen  named  were  among  the 
very  best  officers  in  the  volunteer  service  at  that  time.  The 
regiment  celebrated  the  Fourth  of  July  in  camp.  The  chaplain 
read  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  Colonel  Lawrence  made 
a  speech,  and  the  "Star-spangled  Banner"  was  sung.  On  the 
16th  of  July,  the  regiment  was  put  in  General  Franklin's 
brigade,  and  soon  after  advanced  towards  Bull  Run.  The 
Fifth  bore  an  honored  part  in  that  disastrous  battle,  which  was 
fought  on  the  21st  of  July,  exactly  three  months  from  the  day 
the  regiment  left  Faneuil  Hall.  In  this  battle,  Colonel  Lawrence 
was  slightly  wounded.  The  regiment  left  Washington  on  the 
28th  of  July,  and  arrived  in  Boston  on  the  30th,  having  been 
in  service  three  months  and  seven  days.  Its  reception  in 
Boston  was  worthy  of  its  military  record. 

The  famous  Sixth  Regiment  arrived  at  Philadelphia,  as  we 
have  already  stated,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  18th  of  April. 
This  regiment  has  the  undisputed  honor  of  having  been  the  first 
to  reach  Washington,  and  the  first  to  sacrifice  life  in  the  great 
war.  Its  passage  through  Baltimore,  a  city  of  two  hundred 


92  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

thousand  inhabitants,  more  than  half  of  whom  were  rebels  ;  the 
attack  upon  it  by  the  mob  ;  the  death  of  four,  and  the  wound 
ing  of  thirty-six,  of  its  members,  on  the  memorable  19th  of 
April,  —  sent  a  thrill  through  the  heart  of  the  nation,  and 
aroused  it  like  a  giant  to  defend  its  life.  This  was  the  anniver 
sary  of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  in  which,  on  the  soil  of  Massa 
chusetts,  the  first  blood  was  shed  in  the  struggle  for  Independence 
in  1775.  This  regiment  came  from  the  county  of  Middlesex, 
in  which  are  "  Lexington,  Concord,  and  Bunker  Hill ; "  and  some 
of  the  men  who  were  attacked  in  Baltimore  were  the  direct 
descendants  of  the  men  who  breasted  the  power  of  England  in 
those  memorable  conflicts. 

At  midnight  on  the  18th,  reports  reached  Philadelphia,  that 
preparations  were  being  made  to  dispute  the  passage  of  this 
regiment  through  Baltimore,  and  to  attack  Washington.  The 
long  roll  was  beat ;  and  the  men  formed  in  column,  and  marched 
to  the  depot  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  Railroad,  and 
took  their  places  in  the  cars.  At  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the 
train  started  ;  Colonel  Jones  intending  to  have  his  command 
pass  through  Baltimore  early  in  the  morning,  before  a  force 
could  be  gathered  to  impede  its  march.  Mr.  Felton,  President 
of  the  railroad,  says,  — 

"  Before  they  left  Philadelphia,  I  called  the  colonel  and  principal 
officers  into  my  office,  and  told  them  of  the  dangers  they  would  probably 
encounter,  and  advised  that  each  soldier  should  load  his  musket  before 
leaving,  and  be  ready  for  any  emergency.  We  had  arranged  a  cipher, 
by  which  messages  were  sent  and  received  every  few  moments  along 
the  whole  road,  and  from  the  officers  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  road ; 
so  that  we  were  posted  up  constantly  as  to  the  exact  condition  of 
affairs.  Just  before  the  starting  of  the  Sixth,  I  received  a  message 
that  a  part  of  a  Pennsylvania  regiment  had  arrived  over  the  Northern 
Central  road,  and  passed  through  Baltimore  without  any  demonstra 
tions  of  hostility,  save  a  few  hisses .*  This  fact  I  communicated  to  the 
Sixth,  but,  at  the  same  time,  advised  that  they  should  relax  no 
vigilance  on  that  account.  The  regiment  started  ;  and  I  stood  at  the 
telegraph  instrument  in  Philadelphia,  constantly  receiving  messages  of 
its  progress.  Finally,  it  was  announced  from  Baltimore  that  they  were 

*  This  was  a  regiment  without  arms. 


THE    SIXTH   REGIMENT    IN   BALTIMORE.  93 

in  sight;  next,  that  they  were  received  at  the  station  with  cheers; 
then  that  ten  car-loads  had  started  for  the  Camden-street  station,  and 
all  was  right;  then  that  the  other  four  car-loads  had  started,  and 
turned  the  corner  on  to  Pratt  Street  all  right;  then,  after  a  few 
moments,  that  the  track  was  torn  up  in  front  of  the  last  four  cars,  and 
they  were  attacked  on  Pratt  Street.  Then  the  reports  subsided  into 
mere  rumors,  and  we  could  not  tell  whether  the  mob  was  to  succeed, 
or  the  military  was  to  be  triumphant,  as  guns  were  being  fired  by  both 
rioters  and  military,  and  the  tide  of  battle  was  surging,  now  this  way, 
and  now  that ;  then  that  the  mob  had  turned  upon  an  unarmed 
Pennsylvania  regiment  [Colonel  Small's,  which  had  left  Philadelphia 
with  the  Sixth]  ;  that  the  mob  had  mounted  tops  of  the  cars,  and 
were  breaking  them  in,  and  throwing  down  paving-stones  and  other 
missiles  upon  the  heads  of  the  volunteers,  and  chasing  those  who  had 
left  the  cars  through  the  streets  of  the  city.  The  excitement,  anxiety, 
and  oppression  that  I  felt  at  that  moment  may  be  better  imagined  than 
described.  At  this  juncture,  I  received  a  message  from  the  Mayor  of 
Baltimore  and  the  Police  Commissioners  as  follows  in  substance : 
'  Withdraw  the  troops  now  in  Baltimore,  and  send  no  more  through 
Baltimore  or  Maryland.'  An  immediate  answer  was  demanded.  I, 
in  order  to  get  time  to  ascertain  more  exactly  the  condition  of  affairs 
before  deciding  what  to  do,  telegraphed  to  the  Mayor  and  Commis 
sioners,  that  I  had  received  such  a  message  as  the  above,  and  asked, 
'  Is  it  genuine  ? '  In  the  mean  time,  I  ascertained  that  the  bulk  of  the 
Sixth  had  got  through  Baltimore,  and  were  on  their  way  to  Washington ; 
and  believing  that  the  mob  would  murder  the  unarmed  men  under 
Colonel  Small  if  I  allowed  them  to  remain  where  they  were  exposed 
to  their  violence  and  fury,  and  believing  that  our  bridges  would  be  at 
once  destroyed,  and  that  some  other  route  must  be  adopted,  I  be 
thought  myself  of  the  Seaford  and  Annapolis  scheme  before  communi 
cated  to  General  Scott,  and  at  once  telegraphed  to  the  Mayor  of 
Baltimore,  '  I  will  withdraw  the  troops  now  in  Baltimore,  and  send 
no  more  through  the  city  till  I  first  consult  with  you.'  I  made  no 
allusion  to  sending  any  through  Maryland ;  but  so  worded  my  message 
that  they  would  rather  conclude  that  no  more  troops  would  be  sent, 
and  thus  be  unprepared  to  throw  any  impediment  in  the  way  of  the 
Annapolis  route." 

Persons  who  have  not  passed  over  the  railroad  from  Phila 
delphia  to  Washington  may  not  know  that  the  cars  from 
Philadelphia  enter  the  depot  in  Baltimore  on  the  north  side  of 
the  city.  Here  the  locomotive  is  detached,  and  the  cars  for 


94  MASSACHUSETTS   IN   THE    REBELLION. 

Washington  are  drawn  by  horses  about  two  miles,  across  the 
lower  part  of  the  city,  to  the  depot  of  the  Baltimore  and  Wash 
ington  Railroad,  on  the  south  side  of  the  city,  where  the  loco 
motive  is  again  attached,  and  the  train  taken  by  steam-power  to 
Washington.  It  is  one  hundred  miles  from  Philadelphia  to  Bal 
timore,  and  about  forty  from  that  city  to  Washington. 

Colonel  Jones's  account  is  dated  "  Capitol,  Washington,  April 
22,  1861."  He  says, - 

"  After  leaving  Philadelphia,  I  received  intimation  that  the  pas 
sage  through  the  city  of  Baltimore  would  be  resisted.*  I  caused 
ammunition  to  be  distributed  and  arms  loaded,  and  went  personally 
through  the  cars,  and  issued  the  following  order ;  viz.,  — 

"'The  regiment  will  march  through  Baltimore  in  columns  of  sections, 
arms  at  will.  You  will  undoubtedly  be  insulted,  abused,  and  perhaps 
assaulted,  to  which  you  must  pay  no  attention  whatever,  but  march  with 
your  faces  square  to  the  front,  and  pay  no  attention  to  the  mob,  even  if  they 
throw  stones,  bricks,  or  other  missiles ;  but  if  you  are  fired  upon,  and  any 
one  of  you  are  hit,  your  officers  will  order  you  to  fire.  Do  not  fire  into 
any  promiscuous  crowds,  but  select  any  man  whom  you  may  see  aiming  at 
you,  and  be  sure  you  drop  him.' 

"  Reaching  Baltimore,  horses  were  attached  the  instant  that  the  loco 
motive  was  detached,  and  the  cars  were  driven  at  a  rapid  pace  across 
the  city.  After  the  cars  containing  seven  companies  had  reached  the 
Washington  Depot,  the  track  behind  them  was  barricaded,  and  the  cars 
containing  band  and  the  following  companies  ;  viz.,  Company  C,  of 
Lowell,  Captain  Follansbee ;  Company  D,  of  Lowell,  Captain  Hart; 
Company  I,  of  Lawrence,  Captain  Pickering  ;  and  Company  L,  of 
Stoneham,  Captain  Dike,  —  were  vacated  by  the  band  ;  and  they  pro 
ceeded  to  march  in  accordance  with  orders,  and  had  proceeded  but  a 
short  distance  before  they  were  furiously  attacked  by  a  shower  of  mis 
siles,  which  came  faster  as  they  advanced.  They  increased  their  step 
to  double-quick,  which  seemed  to  infuriate  the  mob,  as  it  evidently 
impressed  the  mob  with  the  idea  that  the  soldiers  dared  not  fire  or  had 
no  ammunition  ;  and  pistol-shots  were  numerously  fired  into  the  ranks, 
and  one  soldier  fell  dead.  The  order,  <  Fire,'  was  given,  and  it  was 
executed ;  in  consequence,  several  of  the  mob  fell,  and  the  soldiers 
again  advanced  hastily.  The  Mayor  of  Baltimore  placed  himself  at 
the  head  of  the  column,  beside  Captain  Follansbee,  and  proceeded  with 

This  is  an  error.     The  information  was  received  before  the  regiment  left 
Philadelphia. 


ATTACK  BY  THE  MOB. THE  FIRST  BLOOD  SHED.    95 

them  a  short  distance,  assuring  him  that  he  would  protect  them,  and 
begging  hirn  not  to  let  the  men  fire ;  but  the  Mayor's  patience  was 
soon  exhausted,  and  he  seized  a  musket  from  the  hands  of  one  of  the 
men,  and  killed  a  man  therewith  ;  and  a  policeman,  who  was  in  advance 
of  the  column,  also  shot  a  man  with  a  revolver. 

"  They  at  last  reached  the  cars,  and  they  started  immediately  for 
Washington.  On  going  through  the  train,  found  there  were  about  one 
hundred  and  thirty  missing,  including  the  band  and  field-music.  Our 
baggage  was  seized,  and  we  have  not  as  yet  been  able  to  recover  any 
of  it.  I  have  found  it  very  difficult  to  get  reliable  information  in 
regard  to  the  killed  and  wounded,  but  believe  there  were  only  three 
killed." 

Here  follows  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wounded,  which  was 
incomplete  and  incorrect. 

"  As  the  men  went  into  the  cars,  I  caused  the  blinds  to  the  cars  to  be 
closed,  and  took  every  precaution  to  prevent  any  shadow  of  offence  to 
the  people  of  Baltimore ;  but  still  the  stones  flew  thick  and  fast  into 
the  train,  and  it  was  with  the  utmost  difficulty  that  I  could  prevent  the 
troops  from  leaving  the  cars,  and  revenging  the  death  of  their  com 
rades.  After  a  volley  of  stones,  some  one  of  the  soldiers  fired,  and 
killed  a  Mr.  Davis,  who,  I  ascertained  by  reliable  witnesses,  threw  a 
stone  into  the  car.  Yet  that  did  not  justify  the  firing  at  him  ;  but  the 
men  were  infuriated  beyond  control.  On  reaching  Washington,  we 
were  quartered  at  the  Capitol,  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  and  all  are  in 
good  health  and  spirits.  I  have  made  every  effort  to  get  possession  of 
the  bodies  of  our  comrades,  but  have  not  yet  succeeded.  Should  I 
succeed,  I  shall  forward  them  to  Boston,  if  practicable  ;  otherwise, 
shall  avail  myself  of  a  kind  offer  of  George  Woods,  Esq.,  who  has 
offered  me  a  prominent  lot  in  the  Congressional  Burying-ground  for 
the  purpose  of  interment.  We  were  this  day  mustered  into  the 
United-States  service,  and  will  forward  the  rolls  at  first  opportunity 
after  verification." 

It  appears,  that,  on  arriving  at  the  Susquehanna,  they  over 
took  a  Pennsylvania  regiment,  called  "  Small's  Brigade,"  having 
about  a  thousand  unarmed  and  ununiformed  men,  on  their  way 
to  Washington.  These  made  the  train  very  heavy,  and  caused  a 
change  of  the  order  in  which  the  cars  containing  the  Sixth  were 
arranged  when  the  regiment  left  Philadelphia.  This  was  not 
known  until  afterwards;  it  interfered  with  previous  orders, 
t  and  accounts  in  a  degree  for  the  separation  of  the  regiment  in 


96  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Baltimore.  Seven  companies  went  safely  through  that  city 
to  the  Washington  Depot.  Four  others,  with  the  band,  were 
in  the  rear,  and  those  were  the  companies  which  bore  the  brunt 
of  the  attack.  They  are  designated  in  Colonel  Jones's  report. 
It  was  the  expectation  that  the  entire  regiment  would  march 
through  Baltimore  to  the  Washington  Depot,  in  conformity 
with  previous  orders.  The  companies  in  the  forward  cars  were 
being  drawn  across  the  city  while  those  in  the  rear  cars  were 
in  the  depot,  waiting  orders  to  file  out.  A  writer  and  eye 
witness  says, — 

"  No  orders  came  to  file  out ;  and,  in  a  few  minutes,  all  the  cars 
forward  of  the  one  occupied  by  Captain  Sampson's  company  disap 
peared.  We  knew  nothing  of  the  movements  of  the  balance  of  the 
regiment,  as  no  intimation  had  been  transmitted  to  us  of  a  change  of 
the  orders.  Meanwhile  the  mob  increased  in  numbers  about  the  depot. 
Soon  the  car  moved  on.  At  the  first  turn  of  a  street,  it  was  thrown 
from  the  track.  The  men  were  ordered  to  remain  in  the  car  until  it 
was  put  again  on  the  track.  The  mob  now  begun  to  throw  stones  and 
brickbats,  some  of  which  entered  the  car.  On  Pratt  Street,  the  mob 
surrounded  it ;  the  car  was  made  a  complete  wreck.  Shots  were  fired 
by  the  mob,  which  were  returned  by  the  company,  and  was  kept  up 
with  more  or  less  spirit  until  the  company  reached  the  Washington 
Station,  and  joined  the  other  seven." 

Major  Watson  was  with  this  company  in  its  perilous  passage, 
and  exhibited  much  coolness  and  capacity.  The  other  three  com 
panies,  which  had  been  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  command 
after  crossing  the  Susquehanna,  had  not  yet  been  heard  from. 
These  were  the  companies  commanded  by  Captains  Follansbee, 
Pickering,  and  Dike.  Before  they  got  from  the  Baltimore  De 
pot,  the  rebels  had  barricaded  the  streets,  and  removed  the  rails 
from  the  track  crossing  the  city,  so  the  cars  containing  these 
companies  could  not  move.  They  had,  therefore,  either  to  force 
their  way  through  the  city  on  foot,  retreat,  or  surrender.  They 
determined  to  go  forward.  In  getting  out  of  the  cars,  cheers 
were  given  by  the  mob  for  Jeff  Davis  and  South  Carolina. 
Secession  flags  were  flaunted  in  the  faces  of  the  men  ;  they  were 
told  to  dig  their  graves  ;  that  thirty  Southern  men  could  whip 
the  whole  of  the  Yankee  State  of  Massachusetts.  Our  men 
bore  these  affronts  with  silence.  They  were  two  hundred  men 


FIGHTS    ITS    WAY    THROUGH    THE    CITY.  97 

against  ten  thousand,  in  a  strange  and  hostile  city.  Under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Follansbee,  they  begun  their  march.  The 
mob  increased  in  numbers.  Stones,  bricks,  oyster-shells,  and 
other  missiles  were  thrown  at  them.  Random  shots  were  fired. 
Shouts  of  derision  and  yells  of  savage  hatred  rent  the  air. 
Still  the  gallant  band  moved  on.  No  one  skulked  ;  no  one 
thought  of  looking  back.  Washington  was  their  goal,  and  the 
streets  of  Baltimore  the  way  to  it.  Several  men  were  already 
wounded  with  pistol-shots  ;  two  were  killed  ;  the  time  had  come 
for  retaliation.  They  had  suffered  with  closed  lips  insults  and 
indignities  hard  for  brave  men  to  bear ;  but,  when  they  saw 
their  dead  comrades,  they  brought  their  muskets  to  the  shoulder, 
and  fired.  Their  shots  told.  Several  of  the  mob  fell  lifeless 
on  the  pavement,  and  a  large  number  were  wounded ;  and  so 
for  two  miles  these  brave,  devoted  men  fought  their  way,  and 
joined  their  comrades  at  the  Washington  Depot. 

The  killed  were  Addison  O.  Whitney,  Luther  C.  Ladd,  and 
Charles  A.  Taylor,  of  Company  D,  Lowell,  and  Sumner  H. 
Needham,  Company  I,  of  Lawrence.  Thirty-six  were  wounded, 
three  of  whom  were  Captain  Dike,  and  Leander  F.  Lynde  and 
James  F.  Rowe,  of  the  Stoneham  company. 

The  mob  howled  like  wolves  around  the  Southern  Depot, 
where  the  regiment  now  was,  and  threw  stones  at  the  cars  after 
the  men  were  seated.  Several  of  the  mob  were  shot  by  our 
men  from  the  cars  while  waiting  to  start.  The  regiment  reached 

O  O 

Washington  at  five  in  the  afternoon,  and  was  received  by  the 
loyal  people  who  surrounded  the  depot  with  the  wildest  en 
thusiasm.  Soon  after,  it  marched  to  the  Capitol  building,  and 
was  quartered  in  the  Senate  Chamber,  and  rooms  connected 
with  it.  Thus,  under  the  roof  of  the  Capitol,  were  sheltered 
the  men  who  first  marched  to  save  it,  and  in  whose  ranks  the 
first  blood  had  been  shed,  and  the  first  lives  sacrificed  in  its 
defence. 

The  regiment  remained  in  Washington  until  the  5th  of  May, 
when  it  was  ordered  to  the  Relay  House,  —  a  railroad  station 
about  ten  miles  from  Baltimore,  —  where  it  remained  doing 
guard  and  picket  duty  until  the  29th  of  July,  when  it  broke 
camp  and  returned  to  Massachusetts,  and  arrived  in  Boston 

7 


98  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

on  the  31st   of  July,  after  a   service   of  three   months    and    a 
half. 

Distinguished  honors  have  been  paid  this  regiment,  as  the 
historic  regiment  of  the  war.  Distinguished  ladies  volunteered 
to  nurse  the  sick  and  wounded.  Poets  sung  its  praises  in 
heroic  verse.  The  loyal  ladies  of  Baltimore  presented  it  with  a 
national  flag;  and  the  citizens  of  Bergen  Point,  in  New  Jersey, 
with  another,  as  a  "  slight  acknowledgment  of  their  appreciation 
of  its  moral  and  soldierly  deportment,  its  gallantry  at  Baltimore, 
and  timely  rescue  from  danger  of  the  capital  of  our  common 
country."  The  United-States  House  of  Representatives  unani 
mously  voted  these  soldiers  the  thanks  of  the  House  for 
their  "prompt  response  to  the  call  of  duty,"  and  "their  patriot 
ism  and  bravery  in  fighting  their  way  through  Baltimore  to  the 
defence  of  the  capital ;"  and,  in  so  doing,  spoke  the  sentiments 
of  the  loyal  men  of  the  nation. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  reached  Philadelphia,  as  we  have  before 
stated,  on  the  evening  of  April  19.  There  they  learned  that  the 
Sixth  Regiment  had  been  attacked  in  Baltimore,  and  compelled 
to  fight  its  way  through  the  city.  This  intelligence  gave  new 
energy  and  enthusiasm  to  the  men,  and  made  them  more  eager 
to  press  forward  to  Washington.  They  had  expected  to  reach 
the  capital  by  way  of  Baltimore  ;  but  that  route  wras  now  closed, 
and  a  new  one  had  to  be  opened,  which  served  as  the  military 
highway  to  Washington  for  Eastern  troops  until  sedition  was 
suppressed  in  Baltimore,  and  that  city  assumed  a  loyal  attitude. 
The  new  route  was  by  the  Susquehanna  and  Chesapeake  Bay  to 
Annapolis,  the  capital  of  Maryland.  A  branch  railroad  of 
seventeen  miles  connected  Annapolis  with  the  Baltimore  and 
Washington  Railroad.  By  this  route,  Washington  could  be 
reached  without  touching  Baltimore.  It  was  a  flank  movement ; 
and  the  honor  of  suggesting  and  making  it  successful  belongs 
to  Samuel  M.  Felton,  Esq.  The  honors  due  him  for  this  ser 
vice  can  only  be  measured  by  the  important  ends  which  it  accom 
plished.  General  Butler  was  in  Philadelphia  with  the  Eighth. 
His  orders  were  to  march  to  Washington  by  way  of  Baltimore. 
That  was  now  impossible.  Mr.  Parton,  in  his  "Life  of  Gen 
eral  Butler,"  says,— 


THE    EIGHTH    OPENS    THE    WAY    TO    ANNAPOLIS.  99 

"  On  this  evening,  at  Philadelphia,  there  was  telegraphing  to  the 
Governor  of  Massachusetts  ;  there  were  consultations  with  Commodore 
Dupont,  commandant  of  the  navy  yard  ;  there  were  interviews  with 
Mr.  Felton,  President  of  the  Philadelphia  and  Baltimore  Railroad, — 
a  son  of  Massachusetts,  full  of  patriotic  zeal,  and  prompt  with  needful 
advice  and  help  ;  there  was  poring  over  maps  and  gazetteers.  Mean 
while,  Colonel  A.  J.  Butler  was  out  in  the  streets  buying  pickaxes, 
shovels,  tin-ware,  provisions,  and  all  that  was  necessary  to  enable 
troops  to  take  the  field,  to  subsist  on  army  rations,  to  repair  bridges 
and  railroads,  and  throw  up  breastworks.  All  Maryland  was  supposed 
to  be  in  arms ;  but  the  general  was  going  through  Maryland." 

The  same  writer  says,  — 

"  Before  evening  was  far  advanced,  he  had  determined  his  plan. 
His  officers  were  summoned  to  meet  him.  On  his  table  were  thirteen 
revolvers.  He  explained  his  design  to  go  by  way  of  Annapolis, 
and  took  upon  himself  the  sole  responsibility.  Taking  up  one  of  the 
revolvers,  he  invited  every  officer  who  was  willing  to  accompany  him 
to  signify  it  by  accepting  a  revolver.  The  pistols  were  all  instantly 
appropriated." 

A  "  Memorial  of  Plan  and  Reasons  for  Proceeding  to  Anna 
polis,"  written  that  evening  by  General  Butler,  was  received  by 
Governor  Andrew,  enclosed  in  a,  letter  from  Major  P.  Adams 
Ames,  an  officer  of  Major-General  Andrews's  staff  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  Volunteer  Militia,  who  happened  to  be  in  Philadelphia 
at  the  time.  This  paper  was  as  follows  :  — 

"I  have  detailed  Captain  Devereux  and  Captain  Briggs,  with  their 
commands,  supplied  with  one  day's  rations  and  twenty  rounds  of  am 
munition,  to  take  possession  of  the  ferry-boat  at  Havre-de- Grace  for  the 
benefit  of  this  expedition.  This  I  have  done  with  the  concurrence  of 
the  present  master  of  transportation.  The  Eighth  Regiment  will  remain 
at  quarters,  that  they  may  get  a  little  solid  rest  after  their  fatiguing 
march.  I  have  sent  to  know  if  the  Seventh  (New  York)  Regiment  will 
go  with  me.  I  propose  to  march  myself  at  the  hour  of  seven  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  to  take  the  regular  eight  and  a  quarter  o'clock  train  to 
Havre-de- Grace.  The  citizens  of  Baltimore,  at  a  large  meeting  this 
evening,  denounced  the  passage  of  Northern  troops.  They  have 
exacted  a  promise  from  the  President  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Rail 
road  not  to  send  troops  over  that  road  through  Baltimore ;  so  that  any 
attempt  to  throw  troops  into  Baltimore  entails  a  march  of  forty  miles, 


100  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

and  an  attack  upon  a  city  of  two  hundred  thousand  inhabitants  at  the 
beginning  of  the  march.  The  only  way,  therefore,  of  getting  commu 
nication  with  Washington  for  troops  from  the  North  is  over  the  Balti 
more  and  Ohio  Railway,  or  marching  from  the  west.  Commodore 
Dupont,  at  the  navy  yard,  has  given  me  instructions  of  the  fact  in 
accordance  with  these  general  statements,  upon  which  I  rely.  I  have 
therefore  thought  I  could  rely  upon  these  statements  as  to  time  it  will 
take  to  proceed  in  marching  from  Havre-de-Grace  to  Washington. 
My  proposition  is  to  join  with  Colonel  Lefferts,  of  the  Seventh  Regi 
ment  of  New  York.  I  propose  to  take  the  fifteen  hundred  troops  to 
Annapolis,  arriving  there  to-morrow  about  four  o'clock,  and  occupy  the 
capital  of  Maryland,  and  thus  call  the  State  to  account  for  the  death 
of  Massachusetts  men,  my  friends  and  neighbors.  If  Colonel  Lefferts 
thinks  it  more  in  accordance  with  the  tenor  of  his  instructions  to  wait 
rather  than  go  through  Baltimore,  I  still  propose  to  march  with  this 
regiment.  I  propose  to  occupy  the  town,  and  hold  it  open  as  a  means 
of  communication.  I  have  then  but  to  advance  by  a  forced  march  of 
thirty  miles  to  reach  the  capital,  in  accordance  with  the  orders  I  at 
first  received,  but  which  subsequent  events,  in  my  judgment,  vary  in 
their  execution,  believing,  from  the  telegraphs,  that  there  will  be  others 
in  great  numbers  to  aid  me.  Being  accompanied  by  officers  of  more 
experience,  who  will  be  able  to  direct  the  affair,  I  think  it  will  be 
accomplished.  We  have  no  light  batteries ;  I  have  therefore  tele 
graphed  to  Governor  Andrew  to  have  the  Boston  Light  Battery  put 
on  shipboard  at  once  to-night  to  help  me  in  marching  on  Washington. 
In  pursuance  of  this  plan,  I  have  detailed  Captains  Devereux  and 
Hrig2;s,  with  their  commands,  to  hold  the  boat  at  Havre-de-Grace. 

Kleven,  A.M.  —  Colonel  Lefferts  has  refused  to  march  with  me.  I 
fro  alone  at  three  o'clock,  P.M.,  to  execute  this  imperfectly  written 
plan.  If  I  succeed,  success  will  justify  me.  If  I  fail,  purity  of  inten 
tion  will  excuse  want  of  judgment  or  rashness. 

B.  F.  BUTLER. 
His  Excellency  Governor  ANDREW. 

This  despatch  of  General  Butler  is  inaccurate  and  obscure. 
When  lie  speaks  of  Havre-de-Grace,  he  means  Perry ville,  as 
Perryville  is  on  the  northern  side  of  the  Susquehanna,  and 
Havre-de-Grace  is  on  the  southern  side.  When  he  says,  "If 
Colonel  Lefferts  thinks  it  more  in  accordance  with  the  tenor 
of  his  instructions  to  wait  rather  than  go  through  Baltimore," 
he  means  rather  than  go  through  Annapolis;  for  Baltimore 


GENERAL    BUTLER.  MR.    FELTCXN'S    NARRATIVE.          101 

was  the  city  to  be  avoided.  Neither  the  despatch  nor  the 
biography  gives  just  credit  to  Mr.  Felton,  who  had  suggested 
and  fixed  upon  this  route  on  the  19th,  when  the  Mayor  of  Balti 
more  telegraphed  him  to  send  no  more  troops  through  that  city, 
and  he  promised  that  no  more  would  be  sent.  Mr.  J.  Edgar 
Thompson,  President  of  the  Pennsylvania  Central  Railroad, 
and  Isaac  Hazlehurst,  Esq.,  of  Philadelphia,  were  in  his  office 
when  the  despatch  from  the  Mayor  of  Baltimore  was  received  ; 
and  to  them  he  suggested  the  Annapolis  route,  and  they  agreed 
that  it  was  "  the  only  thing  to  be  done."  He  immediately  tele 
graphed  to  Captain  Galloway,  of  the  ferry-boat  "Maryland,"  at 
Perry ville,  to  fill  her  up  with  coal,  and  to  make  her  ready  to 
go  to  Annapolis  ;  and  also  to  procure  a  pilot  who  knew  Anna 
polis  Harbor.  These  three  gentlemen  also  conferred  with  the 
steamboat  owners  in  Philadelphia  about  getting  their  boats 
ready  to  take  troops  from  Perry  ville  to  Annapolis  ;  and,  in 
some  cases,  they  became  personally  responsible  for  the  pay  of 
the  officers  of  the  boats.  Some  of  the  men  declined  absolutely 
to  put  their  boats  at  the  disposal  of  the  Government ;  and  they 
were  seized  by  Governor  Curtin,  who  arrived  that  evening  from 
Harrisburo;.  A  consultation  was  held  that  niorht  at  the  house 

O  O 

of  General  Patterson,  in  Philadelphia,  at  which  Governor  Cur- 
tin,  Mr.  Felton,  Mr.  Thompson,  Mr.  Hazlehurst,  and  Mr. 
Henry,  Mayor  of  Philadelphia,  were  present.  The  exciting 
state  of  affairs  was  discussed,  and  Mr.  Felton  explained  the 
route  to  Washington  by  way  of  Annapolis.  "After  considera 
ble  discussion,  the  Annapolis  route  was  adopted  by  the  military, 
and  the  programme  of  Mr.  Felton  and  Mr.  Thompson  ap 
proved."  I  now  quote  from  Mr.  Felton's  manuscript :  — 

"  General  Butler  arrived  in  Philadelphia  the  same  evening,  with 
the  Eighth  Massachusetts  Regiment;  and  I  requested  General  Patter 
son  to  give  me  an  order  to  take  to  General  Butler,  directing  him  to 
go  to  Washington  by  the  Annapolis  route.  The  general  said  he  had 
no  military  authority  over  General  Butler,  and  could  not  give  the 
order ;  but  that  I  might  say  to  him  that  he  most  urgently  advised  that 
he  should  go  to  Annapolis.  I  then,  in  company  with  Admiral,  then 
Commodore,  Dupont,  and  my  brother  Frank,  called  upon  General  Butler 
at  the  Continental  Hotel,  and  told  him  all  I  knew  about  the  condition 


102  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

of  things  in  Baltimore,  and  of  the  impossibility  of  his  going  that  way, 
as  then  they  had  the  streets  barricaded,  and  a  large  force  under  arms, 
with  artillery,  to  resist  his  march  through  the  city.     I  then  advised 
his  taking  the  Annapolis  route,  which  he  at  first  declined,  saying  his 
orders  were  to  go  to  Baltimore,  and  he  would  go  that  way ;  and,  if 
they  fired  upon  him  from  any  house,  he  would  raze  that  house  to  the 
ground,  by  the  help  of  God,  or  leave  his  bones  and  ashes  in  the  streets 
of  the  city.     We  told  him  he  could  not  get  through  that  way ;  that 
our  bridges  would  be  burned    that  night,  if  they  were  not  already  ; 
and  we  could  not   land  him   in  the  city  :    so  the  only  route  left  was 
Annapolis.     After  some  considerable  discussion  and  hesitation,  the  gen 
eral  concluded  to  go  by  Annapolis,  in  our  ferry-boat,  from  Perryville, 
with  Captain  Galloway,  and  the  pilot  whom  I  had  engaged,  in  charge 
of  the  boat.     I  was  to  see  Colonel  Lefferts,  of  the  New-York  Seventh, 
then  on  its  way  to  Philadelphia,  and  give  him  all  the  facts  that  I  had 
come  in  possession  of,  and  urge  him  to  join  General  Butler.     I  then 
went  to  my  oilice ;  and  at  about  three,  A.M.,  Colonel  Lefferts  arrived 
at  the  depot,  but  declined  to  go  with  General  Butler,  saying  his  orders 
were  to  go  through  Baltimore.    Mr.  Thompson  and  myself  endeavored 
to  persuade  him   to  join   General   Butler.     He   finally  concluded  to 
embark  on   board  the   steamer  '  Boston,'  one  of  the  steamers  we  had 
secured,  and  go  up  the  Potomac.     I  earnestly  advised  him  against  this 
course,  as  I  had  heard  that  the  rebels  had  erected  batteries  on  the 
banks  of  the  Potomac.     I  urged  his  going  to  Annapolis  in  the  steamer 
•  Boston,'  and  then  joining  General  Butler  for  a  inarch  to  Washington, 
as   the  next  best  thing  to  going  to  Perryville,  the  Perryville  route 
being  quicker  than  the  route   down  the  Delaware  and  by  sea.     He 
finally  gave  up  his  Potomac  route,   and   joined    General   Butler   at 
Annapolis.     At  three  o'clock  the  next  day  (Saturday),  April  20,  Gen 
eral    Butler  started  from  the  Broad  and  Prince  Streets  Station,  in  the 
cars,  to   Perryville,  and  thence  by  steamer  k  Maryland  '  to  Annapolis. 
I  watched  his  progress  from  station  to  station  by  telegraph  with  great 
anxiety,  as  our  bridges   had   been  burnt,  as  I  had  expected,  the  night 
before,  between   the   Susquehanna   and    Baltimore,  by  J.   R.  Trimble, 
at  the  head   of  a  military  rebel  force  of  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men  ;  and  he  was  threatening  to  come  to  the  river,  and  take  possession 
of  our  boat,  which  was  then  our  chief  dependence.     I  had,  however, 
so  arranged  matters  on  board  the  boat  as  to  make  it  impossible  for  him 
to  capture}  it,  if  my  orders  were    obeyed.     We  also    found   that   our 
bridges  would  be  destroyed  on  this  side  of  the  Susquehanna,  unless  we 
were  better  guarded  than  on  the  other  side.     Trimble  did  not  succeed 
in    reaching  the  river  and  capturing  the  ferry-boat,  being  frightened 


FKOM  PHILADELPHIA  TO  ANNAPOLIS.          103 

from  his  undertaking  by  one  of  our  engine-men,  who  was  on  the 
engine  that  Trimble  had  seized,  in  order  to  take  his  force  out  to  the 
river.  This  man  told  him,  when  he  was  within  about  eight  miles  of 
the  river,  that  there  were  twenty-five  hundred  soldiers  on  board  the 
ferry-boat,  who  would  give  him  a  very  warm  reception  if  he  attempted 
to  go  to  the  river.  Trimble  thereupon  concluded  that  discretion  would 
be  the  better  part  of  valor,  and  returned  to  Baltimore,  burning  the 
bridges  after  passing  over  them.  At  six,  P.M.,  the  telegraph  announced 
that  General  Butler  had  arrived  at  Perryville.  He  embarked  imme 
diately  on  board  the  '  Maryland,'  with  his  regiment,  and  started  for 
Annapolis.  After  this,  I  went  home  completely  worn  out  by  anxiety, 
labor,  and  loss  of  sleep,  having  eaten  only  irregularly  in  my  office, 
and  having  neither  changed  my  linen,  shaved,  nor  closed  my  eyes  in 
sleep,  for  three  days  and  two  nights." 

In  making  up  the  record  of  this  gallant  regiment  from  its 
departure  from  Philadelphia  until  its  return,  I  am  under  especial 
obligations  to  the  full  and  interesting  narrative  of  Captain  George 
T.  Newhall,  of  Company  D,  Lynn  Light  Infantry.  On  arriving 
near  Perryville,  the  cars  stopped,  and  skirmishers  were  thrown 
forward.  The  main  body  followed  closely.  A  crowd  was  at  the 
ferry.  The  regiment  moved  by  "double  quick."  Captain 
Newhall  says,  "The  steamer,  a  very  large  ferry-boat,  called  the 
'Maryland,'  being  in  its  slip,  was  instantly  taken  without  firing 
a  shot."  It  is  evident  from  this,  that  neither  the  officers  nor  men 
of  the  regiment  knew  that  the  "  Maryland "  had  been  pre 
pared,  and  was  waiting  to  take  them  to  Annapolis.  After 
getting  on  board  the  luggage,  the  "  Maryland "  proceeded  to 
Annapolis,  where  it  arrived  on  Sunday  morning,  April  21, 
and  anchored  in  the  harbor,  near  the  frigate  "  Constitution." 
The  men  suffered  from  fatigue.  Seven  hundred  persons  were 
on  board.  The  United-States  Naval  Academy  is  at  Annapolis. 
The  frigate  "  Constitution  "  was  the  school-ship  of  the  academy. 
It  was  the  most  famous  ship  in  our  naval  annals ;  having, 
in  the  war  of  1812,  won  the  choicest  laurels.  It  was  sup 
posed  that  she  would  be  seized  by  the  rebels :  to  save 
her  from  such  a  disgrace  was  the  duty  of  the  hour.  Two 
companies  of  the  Eighth  were  placed  on  board  ;  the  crew  not 
being  strong  enough  to  defend  her,  if  seriously  attacked.  Cap 
tain  Rogers,  U.S.N.,  who  commanded  her,  was  prepared  to 


104  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

sink  her,  rather  than  strike  his  colors.  Both  the  "Maryland" 
and  the  "  Constitution  "  were  aground  ;  great  efforts  were  made 
to  float  them,  and  tow  the  frigate  over  the  bar.  This  was 
accomplished  with  the  assistance  of  the  steamer  "  Boston," 
which  arrived  in  the  harbor  in  the  morning  with  the  Seventh 
New- York  Regiment.  Company  K,  of  Pittsfield,  was  sent  by 
steamer  to  Fort  McHenry,  Baltimore  Harbor,  and  did  not  join 
the  remment  airain  for  three  weeks.  The  "  Constitution  "  was 

O  O 

taken  safely  from  Annapolis  to  New  York,  having  Captain 
Devereux's  company,  and  a  detail  of  Lynn,  Gloucester,  and  Mar- 
blehead  men  on  board  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Berry,  of 
Company  D,  Lynn,  to  assist  in  working  her.  They  afterwards 
joined  the  regiment  at  Washington.  The  rest  of  the  Eighth  was 
kept  on  board  the  "Maryland"  forty-eight  hours,  short  of  ra 
tions,  and  without  water.  Captain  Newhall  says  the  men  were 
"supplied  with  pilot-bread  from  the  'Constitution,'  stamped 
'  1848,'  the  year  it  was  made,  and  salt  pork  bearing  the  same 
brand,  which  the  men  were  obliged  to  eat  raw.  Salt  water 
only  could  be  procured :  this  was  eagerly  drank  by  some, 
making  them  more  thirsty  than  ever."  The  regiment  was  not 
landed  until  Tuesday  morning.  The  Seventh  New  York,  which 
arrived  in  the  harbor  a  day  after  the  Eighth,  landed  first.  Sev 
eral  communications  had  passed  between  General  Butler  and  the 
Governor  of  Maryland,  the  latter  protesting  against  landing 
the  troops,  and  also  between  the  general  and  the  commandant 
of  the  Naval  Academy,  who  rendered  him  all  the  assistance  in 
his  power.  On  the  day  on  which  the  troops  landed,  a  report 
was  brought  to  General  Butler,  that  the  slaves  in  the  city  and 
surrounding  country  were  to  rise  against  their  masters,  and 
assert  their  right  to  be  free.  General  Butler  immediately  offered 
the  services  of  himself  and  command  to  put  down  the  insurrec 
tion.  The  offer  was  declined  ;  there  being  no  truth  in  the 
report, 'and  the  masters  being  able  to  maintain  peace,  and  sup 
press  a  revolt  of  their  slaves. 

The  railroad  from  Annapolis  to  the  Junction,  where  it  con 
nects  with  the  Baltimore  and  Washington  Railroad,  had,  in 
part,  been  destroyed,  and  the  engines  and  cars  partially  broken. 
After  considerable  delay,  the  track  was  relaid,  and  the  enoines 


THE    EIGHTH    REACH    WASHINGTON.  105 

and  cars  were  put  in  order  by  the  men  of  the  Eighth.  Many 
of  them  were  mechanics,  who  had  made  locomotives  and  cars. 
On  the  24th  of  April,  the  Eighth  and  the  New- York  Seventh 
marched  twenty-two  miles  to  the  Junction.  The  heat  was 
oppressive,  and  the  men  suffered  for  want  of  food.  "  On  arriving 
at  the  Junction,  they  dropped  asleep."  On  the  afternoon  of 
Friday,  April  26,  the  regiment  arrived  in  Washington,  eight  days 
after  its  departure  from  Boston.  The  National  Intelligencer 
the  next  morning,  speaking  of  the  Eighth,  said,  "We  doubt 
whether  any  other  single  regiment  in  the  country  could  furnish 
such  a  ready  contingent  to  reconstruct  a  steam-engine,  lay  a 
rail-track,  and  bend  the  sails  of  a  man-of-war."  General 
Butler  remained  behind  at  Annapolis  in  command  of  that  im 
portant  post. 

The  hard  labor  of  laying  the  railroad  track,  and  repairing  the 
locomotives  and  cars,  had  worn  out  the  men's  uniforms.  The 
fact  being  presented  to  the  President  by  Colonel  Monroe,  he 
ordered  them  to  be  furnished  with  army  trousers  and  blouses. 
On  the  30th  of  April,  the  regiment  was  mustered  into  the 
United-States  service.  The  regiment  remained  in  Washington 
until  the  middle  of  May,  when  it  was  ordered  to  the  Relay 
House  to  guard  the  railroad.  It  remained  there,  with  changes 
of  detail,  until  the  29th  of  July,  when  it  received  orders 
to  return  home.  It  arrived  in  Boston  on  the  1st  of  August, 
where  it  was  honorably  received,  and  addressed  by  the  Mayor 
of  the  city. 

These  soldiers  received  the  thanks  of  the  United-States  House 
of  Representatives,  "for  the  energy  and  patriotism  displayed  by 
them  in  surmounting  obstacles  upon  sea  and  land,  which  traitors 
had  interposed  to  impede  their  progress  to  the  defence  of  the 
national  capital."  On  the  4th  of  July,  while  at  the  Relay 
House,  the  regiment  was  presented  with  a  new  flag,  made  and 
forwarded  by  the  ladies  of  Lynn.  On  the  12th  of  May,  Colonel 
Monroe  resigned  his  commission,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hinks 
was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy.  In  acknowledgment  of  the  long 
and  valuable  services  of  Colonel  Monroe  in  the  militia  of  his 
State  and  country,  Governor  Andrew  directed  the  Adjutant- 
General  to  address  him  the  following  letter  :  — 


106  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

COMMONWEALTH  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  BOSTON,  May  15,  1861 
Colonel  MUNROE,  M.V.M. 

SIR,  —  I  am  directed  by  His  Excellency  the  Commander-in-chief 
to  inform  you,  that,  in  assenting  to  your  discharge  from  the  command 
of  the  Eighth  Massachusetts  Regiment,  now  in  active  service  at  Wash 
ington,  to  defend  the  Union,  the  Constitution,  and  the  Government  of 
the  United  States,  he  is  impressed  by  your  long  and  meritorious  services 
in  the  militia  of  the  Commonwealth ;  that  you  have  earned  long  years 
ago  an  honorable  discharge  ;  but  by  your  alacrity  and  patriotism  so 
recently  exhibited  in  answer  to  the  order  to  march  your  command  to 
Washington,  where  you  have  taken  an  honorable  and  prominent  part 
in  the  defence  of  the  country,  you  are  doubly  entitled  to  it. 

His  Excellency  takes  this  occasion  to  assure  you  of  his  high  ap 
preciation  of  your  services,  and  expresses  a  hope  that  you  may  live 
many  years  in  the  enjoyment  of  that  peaceful  Union  to  which  your 
services  have  been  devoted. 

Major- General  Sutton  will  transmit  this  letter  to  Colonel  Monroe, 
together  with  his  discharge. 

By  order  of  His  Excellency  John  A.  Andrew,  Governor  and 
Commander-in-chief. 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant- General. 

To  the  Eighth  Regiment  will  ever  be  the  honor  of  having 
opened  the  route  to  Washington  by  way  of  Annapolis,  and  of 
having  saved  from  possible  loss  the  frigate  "Constitution," 
the  "Old  Ironsides"  of  the  war  of  1812. 

The  Third  Battalion  of  Rifles,  by  transport  from  New  York, 
readied  Annapolis  April  24,  and  quartered  in  the  Naval 
Academy,  where  it  remained  until  the  2d  of  May,  when  it  was 
ordered  to  Fort  McIIenry,  where  it  continued  until  the  end  of 
its  term  of  service.  The  battalion  was  drilled  in  the  practice 
of  heavy  ordnance,  and  in  infantry  tactics.  The  men  were  always 
ready  for  duty,  and  by  their  good  conduct  and  discipline  received 
the  confidence  and  praise  of  the  garrison  commanders.  They 
were  engaged  in  no  battle  ;  but  the  fort  which  it  held  saved 
Baltimore  and  Maryland  from  going  with  Virginia  and  other 
Southern  States  headlong  into  rebellion.  They  were  thanked  by 
General  Dix,  post  commandant,  for  their  patriotism  and  good 


CLOSE    OF    THE    THREE    MONTHS'    SERVICE.  107 

behavior,  and,  at  his  request,  remained  on  duty  two  weeks  after 
their  term  of  service  had  expired.  This  battalion  was  from 
Worcester,  "the  heart  of  the  Commonwealth."  Company  C 
was  originally  a  local  organization,  composed  of  men  of  Irish 
birth,  who,  on  the  call  for  troops,  offered  their  services  to  the 
Governor,  which  were  accepted,  and  the  company  was  attached 
to  the  Third  Battalion.  It  was  the  first  Irish  company  to  reach 
the  seat  of  war,  and  be  mustered  into  the  United-States  service  ; 
and  Company  D,  of  the  same  battalion,  was  the  first  to  reach 
Washington  by  the  Potomac  River. 

Major  Cook's  Light  Battery,  which  left  New  York  with  the 
Fifth  Regiment  and  Rifle  Battalion,  arrived  at  Annapolis  on 
the  24th  of  April,  and  was  quartered  at  the  Naval  Academy, 
where  it  remained  until  the  4th  of  May,  when  it  was  sent  to  the 
Relay  House.  On  the  13th  of  June,  it  was  ordered,  with  the 
Sixth  Regiment,  to  Baltimore,  to  protect  the  polls  on  election 
day.  It  remained  in  that  city  until  the  30th  of  July,  four 
days  beyond  the  term  of  its  enlistment.  Two  detachments 
were  stationed  in  Monument  Square,  and  others  at  the  Custom 
House.  The  battery  arrived  in  Boston  on  the  3d  of  August, 
where  it  was  cordially  received  by  the  Mayor  of  the  city,  and 
a  large  crowd  of  people.  The  First  Battalion  of  Dragoons,  the 
Second  Battalion  of  Infantry,  and  the  National  Lancers  hon 
ored  the  corps  with  an  escort  to  their  old  quarters. 

In  the  preceding  pages,  I  have  sketched  the  departure,  the 
services,  and  the  return  of  the  first  three-months  men.  They 
made  an  honorable  record.  Speaking  of  them,  the  Adjutant- 
General,  in  his  annual  report  for  1861,  says,  — 

"  They  were  the  first  to  respond  to  the  call  of  the  President ;  the 
first  to  march  through  Baltimore  to  the  defence  of  the  capital ;  the  first 
to  shed  their  blood  for  the  maintenance  of  our  Government ;  the  first  to 
open  the  new  route  to  Washington  by  way  of  Annapolis  ;  the  first 
to  land  on  the  soil  of  Virginia,  and  hold  possession  of  the  most  impor 
tant  fortress  in  the  Union  ;  the  first  to  make  the  voyage  of  the  Potomac, 
and  approach  the  Federal  city  by  water,  as  they  had  been  the  first  to 
reach  it  by  land.  They  upheld  the  good  name  of  the  State  during 
their  entire  term  of  service,  as  well  by  their  good  conduct  and  gentle- 


108  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

manly  bearing,  as  by  their  courage  and* devotion  to  duty  in  the  hour  of 
peril.  They  proved  the  sterling  worth  of  our  volunteer  militia.  Their 
record  is  one  which  will  ever  redound  to  the  honor  of  Massachusetts, 
and  will  be  prized  among  her  richest  historic  treasures.  These  men 
have  added  new  splendor  to  our  revolutionary  annals ;  and  the  brave 
sons  who  were  shot  down  in  the  streets  of  Baltimore  on  the  19th  of 
April,  have  rendered  doubly  sacred  the  day  when  the  greensward  of 
Lexington  Common  was  drenched  with  the  blood  of  their  fathers." 

The  three-months  service  was  a  good  preparatory  experience. 
It  educated  officers  to  command  three-years  companies  and 
regiments,  which  were  then  being  raised  in  the  State  ;  several 
of  whom  came  back,  when  the  war  was  over,  with  distinguished 
fame,  and  with  generals'  stars  upon  their  shoulders.  Among  these 
we  name  Hinks  and  Devens  and  Briggs  and  Martin  and  Dev- 
ercux  and  McCartney.  Others  rose  to  high  rank,  who  never 
came  back,  but  who  fell  in  distant  battle-fields,  by  the  side  of 
their  men,  and  beneath  the  shadow  of  the  flag  they  carried, 
which  symbolized  their  cause  and  the  nation's.  Of  these  we 
name  Chambers  and  Pratt  and  Parker  and  Prescott  and  Keyes 
and  Dodd. 

While  the  events  here  enumerated  were  transpiring  at  a 
distance,  others  of  great  importance  and  interest  were  of  daily 
occurrence  at  home,  as  will  appear  in  the  next  chapter. 


CHAPTER     III. 

The  People  of  the  Towns  — The  Press  — The  Pulpit  — Edward  Everett  — 
Fletcher  Webster  offers  to  raise  a  Regiment —  The  Sunday  Meeting  in  State 
Street  —  Mr.  Webster's  Speech  —  Meeting  in  the  Music  Hall  —  Speech  of 
Wendell  Phillips  —  Meeting  in  Chester  Park — Speeches  of  Edward  Everett 
and  Benjamin  F.  Hallett  —  Meeting  under  the  Washington  Elm  in  Cambridge 

—  Ex-Governor  Banks,  George   S.  Hillard,  and  others  —  Letters  received  by 
the  Governor — Extracts — Reception  of  the  Dead  Bodies  of  the  Killed  in 
Baltimore  —  Mr.   Crowninshield   goes   abroad  to  buy  Arms  —  Ex-Governor 
Boutwell  sent  to  Washington  —  Letter  of  John  M.  Forbes  to  Mr.  Felton  — 
Letter  to  General  Wool  — To  Rev.  Dr.  Stearns  — To  Robert  M.  Mason  — 
Offer  of  a  Ship  Load  of  Ice  —  Purchase  of  the  Cambridge  —  Provisions  sent 
to  Fortress   Monroe  and  Washington  —  Governor   to   President  Lincoln — • 
Attorney-General  Foster  —  The  Ladies  of  Cambridge  —  Call  for  Three  Years' 
Volunteers  — Letter  of  John  M.  Forbes  — Letters  received  by  the  Adjutant- 
General  —  Extracts — Letters  from  Dr.  Luther  V.  Bell  and  Richard  H.  Dana,  Jr. 

—  Ex-Governor  Boutwell  arrives  at  Washington  —  Letters  to  the  Governor — 
State  of  Affairs  at  Washington  —  Letter  from  Mr.  Foster  —  Cipher  Telegram 

—  Judge  Hoar  at  Washington  —  Letters  to  the  Governor  —  The  War  De 
partment  will  accept  no  more  Troops —  Charles  R.  Lowell,  Jr.,  Massachusetts 
Agent  at  Washington  —  His  Instructions  —  Letter  of  Governor  to  Dr.  Howe 

—  Appointed  to  examine  the  Condition  of  the  Regiments  —  His  Report  — 
Colonel  Prescott  —  Letters  of  the  Governor  and  General  Butler — Slavery. 

THE  people  of  Massachusetts  were  deeply  moved  by  the  depar 
ture  of  the  three  months'  men,  and  the  attack  made  upon  the 
Sixth  Regiment  at  Baltimore.  Meetings  were  held  in  city  and 
town.  Speeches  were  made  by  the  most  distinguished  orators 
in  the  State.  In  some  of  the  towns,  the  people  were  called 
together  by  the  ringing  of  church-bells,  and  in  others  by  the 
town-crier.  The  meetings  generally  were  opened  with  prayer  ; 
and  the  oldest  and  most  venerable  of  the  inhabitants  were  seated 
on  the  platform.  The  veterans  of  the  Revolution  had  passed 
away,  and  the  seats  which  they  would  have  filled  were  occupied 
by  the  surviving  soldiers  of  the  War  of  1812.  Addresses  were 
made  by  clergymen,  lawyers,  and  by  young  men,  to  whom  the 


110  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

cause  gave  words  of  earnest  eloquence.  The  UNION,  one  and 
inseparable,  and  lio\v  Massachusetts  could  best  serve  it,  were 
the  themes  which  inspired  them  all.  Resolutions  were  passed, 
pledging  life  and  fortune  to  the  cause.  Large  sums  of  money 
were  subscribed  and  paid.  Historic  memories  were  revived, 
and  the  sacrifices  of  the  fathers  in  the  War  for  Independence 
held  up  for  imitation.  The  women  formed  aid  societies  to  sew 
and  knit  and  work  for  the  absent  soldiers  and  for  their  families 
at  home.  Young  men  formed  military  companies,  and  more 
companies  were  offered  than  the  Government  would  receive  ; 
and  more  articles  of  clothing  and  stores  of  provisions  than  the 
men  required. 

The  public  journals  of  the  Commonwealth  spoke  with  one 
voice.  Party  spirit  was  allayed,  political  differences  forgotten. 
The  past  was  buried  with  the  past.  The  Boston  Morning 
Post,  the  leading  Democratic  paper  in  New  England,  gave  to 
the  cause  its  strong  support,  it  had  sustained  the  nomination 
of  John  C.  Brcckinridge  for  President  the  preceding  year  ;  but 
it  did  so  without  intent  or  thought  of  following  him  into  rebel 
lion.  On  the  morning  of  April  16,  the  Post  published  a 
patriotic  appeal  to  the  people,  from  which  we  make  the  follow 


ing  extract :  — 


"  Patriotic  citizens !  choose  you  which  you  will  serve,  the  world's 
best  hope,  —  our  noble  Republican  Government,  —  or  that  bottomless  pit, 
—  social  anarchy.  Adjourn  other  issues  until  this  self-preserving  issue 
is  settled.  Hitherto  a  good  Providence  has  smiled  upon  the  American 
Union.  This  was  the  morning  star  that  led  on  the  men  of  the  Revo 
lution.  It  is  precisely  the  truth  to  say,  that  when  those  sages  and 
heroes  labored  they  made  Uxiox  the  vital  condition  of  their  labor.  It 
was  faith  in  Union  that  destroyed  the  tea,  and  thus  nerved  the  resist 
ance  to  British  aggression.  Without  it,  patriots  felt  they  were  noth 
ing;  and  with  it  they  fe.lt  equal  to  all  things.  The  Union  flag  they 
transmitted  to  their  posterity.  To-day  it  waves  over  those  who  are 
rallying  under  the  standard  of  the  LAW;  and  God  grant,  that  in  the 
end,  as  it  was  with  the  old  Mother  Country,  after  wars  between  White 
and  Red  Roses  and  Roundheads  and  Cavaliers,  so  it  may  be  with  the 
daughter  ;  that  she  may  see  PKACE  in  her  borders,  and  all  her  children 
loving  each  other  better  than  ever!" 

The  Boston  Liberator,  edited  by  William  Lloyd  Garrison, 


SPEECH    OF    COLONEL   WEBSTER.  Ill 

the  well-known  and  ably  conducted  organ  of  the  extreme  Aboli 
tion  party,  spoke  with  equal  spirit  in  support  of  the  Govern 
ment.  The  religious  press,  without  exception,  invoked  the 
blessings  of  Heaven  upon  our  soldiers  and  the  holy  cause  they 
had  gone  forth  to  uphold.  Religious  creeds,  like  political 
dogmas,  were  harmonized  in  the  general  current  of  opinion. 
Edward  Everett,  who  in  the  preceding  fall  election  was  the 
Conservative  candidate  for  Vice-President,  threw  himself,  with 
all  his  powers  of  eloquence  and  culture,  into  the  struggle.  He 
was  absent  from  the  State  when  the  call  for  troops  was  made, 
but  returned  to  Boston  on  the  18th  of  April.  He  fully  approved 
the  measures  taken  by  the  Government,  and  thought  the 
Administration  ought  to  be  cordially  supported  by  all  good 
citizens. 

Among  the  first  to  raise  a  regiment  for  the  service  was 
Fletcher  AYebster,  the  sole  surviving  child  of  Daniel  Webster. 
On  Sunday  morning,  April  21,  an  immense  meeting  was  held 
in  State  Street,  in  front  of  the  Merchants'  Exchange.  It  had 
been  announced  in  the  papers  of  the  preceding  day  that  Mr. 
Webster  and  other  gentlemen  would  speak.  There  was  much 
excitement  and  enthusiasm,  notwithstanding  it  was  the  sabbath. 
Mr.  Webster  began  his  address  from  the  -steps  of  the  Merchants' 
Exchange.  The  position  was  unfavorable ;  the  crowd  could 
not  hear,  and  calls  were  made  to  adjourn  to  the  rear  of  the  Old 
State  House.  The  adjournment  was  carried.  The  crowd  re 
mained  in  the  street.  Mr.  Webster  spoke  from  the  rear  bal 
cony,  facing  State  Street.  Pie  was  received  with  great  favor. 
He  said  he  could  see  no  better  use  to  which  the  day  could 
be  put  than  to  show  our  gratitude  to  Divine  Providence  for 
bestowing  upon  us  the  best  Government  in  the  world,  and  to 
pledge  ourselves  to  stand  by  it  and  maintain  it.  lie  whose 
name  he  bore  had  the  good  fortune  to  defend  the  Union  and  the 
Constitution  in  the  forum.  This  he  could  not  do  ;  but  he  was 
ready  to  defend  them  on  the  field.  [Applause.]  But  this  is  no 
time  for  speeches  ;  it  is  a  time  for  action.  He  proposed  to  raise 
a  regiment  for  active  service ;  he  called  for  volunteers.  Mr. 
Webster  then  gave  directions  regarding  the  manner  in  which 
companies  were  to  be  raised,  in  order  to  comply  with  the  laws 


112  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

of  the  State  and  the  requirements  of  the  War  Department.     He 
concluded  by  saying,  — 

"Time  presses.  The  enemy  is  approaching  the  capital  of  the 
nation.  It  may  be  in  their  hands  now.  [Cries  of  '  Never  ;  it  never  shall 
be.']  Promptness  is  needed.  Let  us  show  the  world  that  the  patri 
otism  of  '61  is  not  less  than  that  of  the  heroes  of  '76  ;  that  the  noble 
impulses  of  those  patriot  hearts  have  descended  to  us.  Let  us  do 
our  duty,  and  we  shall  yet  see  the  nation  united,  and  our  old  flag 
remain  without  a  star  dimmed  or  a  stripe  obliterated." 

The  report  of  the  meeting  in  the  Daily  Advertiser  says, — 

"The  remarks  of  Mr.  Webster  were  received  with  great  enthu 
siasm,  and  at  the  close  of  his  speech  he  was  loudly  cheered.  Loud  calls 
were  then  made  for  General  Schouler,  who  was  seen  upon  the  balcony. 
In  response,  he  stepped  forward,  and  thanked  the  vast  assembly  in  an 
almost  inaudible  voice  for  their  good  feeling,  and  asked  Mr.  Webster 
to  speak  for  him.  Mr.  Webster  at  once  informed  the  audience  that 
the  General  was  utterly  prostrated  with  the  arduous  labors  during  the 
past  week,  and  that  he  had  scarcely  been  in  bed  for  fifty-four  hours ; 
that  he  must  be  excused,  as  he  was  utterly  unable  to  address  them. 
The  crowd  then  gave  three  cheers  for  General  Schouler." 

The  meeting  was  ably  addressed  by  William  Dehon,  Edward 
Riddle,  and  Charles  Lcvi  Woodbury,  who  were  received  with 
great  favor  and  satisfaction.  Mr.  Webster's  appeal  met  with  a 
prompt  response.  More  companies  were  offered  than  he  could 
accept ;  but,  before  the  regiment  was  ready  to  leave  the  State, 
orders  came  from  Washington  that  no  more  three  months' 
regiments  would  be  received.  On  the  receipt  of  this  information, 
Mr.  Webster's  regiment  immediately  volunteered  to  serve  for 
three  years:  it  was  accepted,  and  during  the  war  was  known 
as  the  Twelfth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Infantry. 

Wendell  Phillips  spoke  in  the  afternoon  of  this  memorable 
Sunday  in  the  great  Music  Hall,  which  was  crowded  in  every 
part ;  and  thousands  were  unable  to  gain  admission.  Many 
feared  that  he  would  not  be  permitted  to  speak ;  and  that,  if  he 
attempted  to  sustain  the  position  which  he  assumed  in  his 
speech  at  New  Bedford  ten  days  before,  a  riot  would  occur. 
The  first  sentence  uttered  by  Mr.  Phillips,  however,  gave 


WENDELL    PHILLIPS    IN    THE    MUSIC    HALL.  113 

assurance  that  the  events  of  the  preceding  week  had  not  been 
without  their  effect  upon  his  mind.  The  hall  was  profusely 
decorated  with  the  stars  and  stripes  ;  and  the  speaker  stood  upon 
the  platform  beneath  an  arch  formed  by  the  national  colors. 
The  speech  was  remarkable  not  only  for  its  force  and  vigor,  its 
patriotic  and  elevated  sentiments,  but  for  its  strong  contrast 
with  the  speech  quoted  in  the  first  chapter.  He  began  by  say 
ing, — 

"  I  am  here  to  retract  riot  a  single  word  of  what  I  Lave  ever  said. 
Every  act  of  my  life  has  tended  to  make  the  welcome  I  give  this 
war  hearty  and  hot.  Civil  war  is  a  momentous  evil,  and  needs  the 
soundest  justification.  I  rejoice  before  God,  that  every  word  I  have 
said  has  counselled  peace;  and  I  rejoice,  for  the  first  time  in  my 
anti-slavery  life,  I  stand  under  the  stars  and  stripes,  and  welcome  the 
tread  of  Massachusetts  men.  [Great  applause.]  No  mutter  what 
may  have  been  done  in  the  past.  To-day  the  slave  asks  but  a  sight  of 
this  banner,  and  calls  it  the  twilight  of  his  redemption ;  to-day  it 
represents  sovereignty  and  justice.  The  only  mistake  I  have  ever 
made  is  in  supposing  Massachusetts  wholly  choked  with  cotton  dust 
and  cankered  with  gold.  [Laughter.]  The  first  cannon  shot  upon 
our  forts  has  put  the  war-cry  of  the  Revolution  on  her  lips.  I  can 
not  acknowledge  the  sentiment,  '  Our  country,  right  or  wrong.'  In  a 
moral  light,  it  is  knavish  and  atheistical ;  but  it  is  sublime  to  see  this 
rallying  of  a  great  people  to  the  defence  of  the  national  honor  ;  a  noble 
and  puissant  nation,  arising  like  a  strong  man  from  a  sleep  and  shaking 
his  locks.  She  is  thus  collecting  her  scattered  elements  and  rousing 
her  dormant  thunder.  How  do  we  justify  this  last  appeal  to  arms  ? 
I  always  cry  for  peace ;  and  the  anti-slavery  banner  has  that  name 
upon  it.  We  have  thought  to  set  free  the  millions  of  slaves,  and  the 
North  has  responded.  It  is  in  the  increasing  education  of  our  people, 
and  in  that  moral  sense  which  is  fast  gaining  ground,  that  we  are  to 
accomplish  this.  No  man  can  prevail  against  the  North  in  the  nine 
teenth  century.  It  thinks.  It  can  appreciate  the  argument.  The  South 
is  the  fourteenth  century.  Wat  Tyler  and  Jack  Cade  loom  up  on  the 
horizon.  There  the  fagots  still  burn,  and  men  are  tortured  for  opinion. 
Baron  and  serf  are  names  which  form  too  flattering  a  picture.  Su in 
ner  stamped  them  the  barbarous  States.  The  struggle  now  is,  not  of 
opinion,  but  of  civilization.  There  can  be  but  two  tilings,  —  compro 
mise  or  battle.  The  integrity  of  the  North  scorns  the  first ;  the 
general  forbearance  of  nineteen  States  has  preceded  the  other.  The 
South  opened  with  a  cannon-shot,  and  Lincoln  showed  himself  at 

8 


114  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

the  door.  [Applause.]  The  war  is  not  of  aggression,  but  of  self- 
defence ;  and  Washington  becomes  the  Thermopylae  of  liberty  and 
justice.  Rather  than  surrender  it,  cover  every  foot  of  ground  with  a 
living  man.  Guard  it  with  a  million  of  men,  and  empty  our  bank- 
vaults  to  pay  them.  Proclaim  that  the  North  is  under  the  stars  and 
stripes,  and  no  man  is  in  chains." 

He  said  the  Xorth  is  all  right  and  the  South  all  wrong ;  that 
for  thirty  years  there  has  been  no  exhaustion  of  conciliation  and 
compromise.  ""We  must,"  he  said,  "acknowledge  the  right 
before  you  send  Massachusetts  through  the  streets  of  Baltimore, 
and  carry  Lexington  and  the  19th  of  April  into  the  Southern 
States."  —  "During  long  and  weary  years  we  have  waited. 
Massachusetts  blood  has  consecrated  the  streets  of  Baltimore, 
which  are  now  too  sacred  to  be  trodden  by  slaves."  —  "When  the 
South  cannonaded  Sumter,  the  bones  of  Adams  rattled  in  his 
coffin  ;  and  we  might  have  heard  him  from  his  granite  grave  in 
Quincy  say,  '  Seize  the  thunderbolt,  and  annihilate  what  has 
troubled  you  for  sixty  years.'  "  —  "There  are  four  sections  of 
people  in  this  struggle  :  First,  the  ordinary  masses,  mingling 
mere  enthusiasm  in  the  battle  ;  Second,  those  that  have  commer 
cial  interests,  — the  just-converted  hunkerism  ;  Third,  the  peo 
ple,  —  the  cordwainers  of  Lynn  and  the  farmers  of  Worcester, 
—  people  who  have  no  leisure  for  technicalities;  Fourth,  the 
Abolitionists,  who  thank  God  that  he  has  let  them  see  salvation 
before  they  die.  Europe,  and  some  of  you,  may  think  it  a  war 
of  opinion  ;  but  years  hence,  when  the  smoke  of  the  conflict 
shall  have  cleared  away,  we  shall  see  all  creeds,  all  tongues,  all 
races  one  brotherhood  ;  and  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac  the 
Genius  of  Liberty  robed  in  light,  with  four  and  thirty  stars 
in  her  diadem,  broken  chains  under  her  feet,  and  the  olive 
branch  in  her  right  hand." 

Mr.  Everett  made  his  first  speech  in  the  war  on  Saturday  the 
27th  of  April,  to  a  vast  crowd  of  citizens  in  Chester  Square, 
Boston.  The  people  who  lived  in  the  south  part  of  the  city 
had  erected  a  lofty  flag-staff,  and  from  its  height  the  national 
banner  was  to  be  unfurled  that  afternoon.  The  ceremonies 
were  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Hepworth,  and  national 
songs  were  sung  by  the  school-children.  Mr.  Everett  was 


SPEECHES    OF    ME.    EVERETT    AND    MR.    HALLETT.        115 

received  with    loud    applause ;    which   he   gracefully    acknowl 
edged,  and  said,  — 

"The  great  assemblage  that  I  see  around  me;  the  simple  but  inter 
esting  ceremonial  with  which  the  flag  of  our  country  has  been  thrown 
to  the  breeze ;  the  strains  of  inspiring  music ;  the  sweet  concord 
of  those  youthful  voices  ;  the  solemn  supplication  of  the  reverend 
clergyman,  which  still  fills  our  ears,  —  all  these  proclaim  the  deep, 
patriotic  sentiment  of  which  the  flag  is  the  symbol  and  expression. 
Nay,  more:  it  speaks  for  itself.  Its  mute  eloquence  needs  no  aid  from 
my  lips  to  interpret  its  significance.  Fidelity  to  the  Union  blazes 
from  its  stars  :  allegiance  to  the  Government  under  which  we  live  is 
wrapped  within  its  folds.  We  set  up  this  standard,  my  friends,  not  as 
a  matter  of  idle  display,  but  as  an  expressive  indication,  that,  in  the 
mighty  struggle  which  has  been  forced  upon  us,  we  are  of  one  heart 
and  one  mind,  —  that  the  Government  of  the  country  must  be  sus 
tained.  "We  are  a  law-abiding,  quiet-loving  community.  Our  time, 
our  thoughts,  our  energies  are  habitually  devoted  to  the  peaceful  arts 
by  which  States  grow  and  prosper ;  but.  upon  an  issue  in  which  the 
life  of  the  country  is  involved,  we  rally  as  one  man  to  its  defence. 
All  former  differences  of  opinion  are  swept  away.  We  forget  that  we 
ever  had  been  partisans.  "We  remember  only  that  we  are  Americans, 
and  that  our  country  is  in  peril.  .  .  .  Why  does  it  float  as  never  before, 
not  merely  from  arsenal  and  masthead,  but  from  tower  and  steeple, 
from  the  public  edifices,  the  temples  of  science,  the  private  dwelling, 
in  magnificent  display  or  miniature  presentment?  Let  Fort  Suinter 
give  the  answer.  When  on  this  day  fortnight,  the  loth  of  April  (a 
day  for  ever  to  be  held  in  inauspicious  remembrance,  like  the  Dies 
Alliensis  in  the  annals  of  Home),  the  tidings  spread  through  the  land, 
that  the  standard  of  United  America,  the  pledge  of  her  union  and  the 
symbol  of  her  power,  which  so  many  gallant  hearts  had  poured  out 
their  life-blood  on  the  ocean  and  the  land  to  uphold,  had,  in  the  harbor 
of  Charleston,  been  for  a  day  and  a  half  the  target  of  eleven  fratricidal 
batteries,  one  deep,  unanimous,  spontaneous  feeling  shot  with  the 
tidings  through  the  bosoms  of  twenty  millions  of  freemen.  —  that  its 
outraged  honor  must  be  vindicated." 

Mr.  Everett  then  described  the  bombardment  of  Suinter,  and 
paid  a  high  tribute  to  Major  Anderson  and  his  gallant  com 
mand.  He  also  referred  to  his  long  and  intimate  acquaintance 
with  the  leading  men  of  the  South,  from  whom  he  had  hoped 
never  to  have  been  separated  by  civil  war.  He  closed  with 
these  words  :  — 


116  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

"  All  hail  to  the  flag  of  the  Union  !  Courage  to  the  heart  and 
strength  to  the  hand  to  which  in  all  time  it  shall  be  intrusted !  May 
it  ever  wave  in  unsullied  honor  over  the  dome  of  the  Capitol,  from 
the  country's  strongholds,  on  the  tented  field,  upon  the  wave-rocked 
topmast.  It  was  originally  displayed  on  the  1st  of  January,  1776, 
from  the  headquarters  of  Washington,  whose  lines  of  circumvallation 
around  beleaguered  Boston  traversed  the  fair  spot  where  we  now  stand  ; 
and  it  was  first  given  to  the  breeze  within  the  limits  of  our  beloved 
State :  so  may  the  last  spot  where  it  shall  cease  to  float  in  honor  and 
triumph  be  the  soil  of  our  own  Massachusetts !  " 

The  gentleman  who  succeeded  Mr.  Everett  was  Benjamin 
F.  Hallctt,  who,  for  thirty  years,  had  been  a  distinguished  leader 
of  the  Democratic  party.  He  had  made  its  platforms,  advo 
cated  its  principles,  and  labored  for  its  success.  No  Democrat 
in  Massachusetts  was  better  known  than  Mr.  Hallett.  He  had 
never  wavered  in  bis  love  or  faltered  in  his  allegiance  to  his 
party.  No  one  doubted  bis  sincerity,  no  one  questioned  his 
ability.  As  a  lawyer,  he  held  a  high  rank.  Notwithstanding 
his  determined  zeal  and  devotion  to  his  party,  his  nature  was 
kind  and  generous  ;  and  his  private  character  was  pure  and 
spotless.  Like  Mr.  Everett,  he  gave  up  party  for  his  country. 
His  speech  in  Chester  Square  was  worthy  of  his  talents  and  of 
the  occasion  which  called  it  forth.  Like  Mr.  Everett,  he  re 
mained  true  to  the  Union  ;  and,  like  him,  he  died  ere  the  end 
was  gained. 

In  the  city  of  Cambridge,  almost  within  the  shadows  of  the 
halls  of  Harvard  University,  stands  the  "Washington  Elm," 
where  it  has  stood  sentinel  since  the  foundation  of  the  college. 

O 

They  have  grown  old  and  venerable  together.  Beneath  the 
branches  of  the  tree,  Washington  first  took  command  of  the 
American  army,  in  1775,  which  was  drawn  up  in  line  on 
the  Common  in  front.  On  this  historic  spot,  on  the  same 
day  that  Mr.  Everett  and  Mr.  Hallett  spoke  in  Chester  Square, 
the  people  of  Cambridge  held  a  meeting.  John  Sargent,  the 
mayor  of  the  city,  presided.  Among  the  vice-presidents  were 
Jared  Sparks,  Henry  W.  Longfellow,  Joel  Parker,  Emory 
Washburn,  Isaac  Liverrnore,  and  Theophilus  Parsons.  A  pre 
amble  and  resolutions  were  read  by  John  G.  Palfrey.  One  of 
the  resolutions  was  in  these  words  :  — 


MEETING   UNDER    THE    "WASHINGTON    ELM."  117 

"  Resolved  by  us,  citizens  of  Cambridge,  convened  under  the  shadow 
of  the  Washington  Elm,  that  animated,  we  trust,  by  the  spirit  of  him 
who,  in  the  clouded  dawn  of  the  Revolution  which  created  our  nation, 
drew  his  sacred  sword  on  this  memorable  spot,  we  desire  to  consecrate 
ourselves  to  the  services  of  freedom  and  our  country." 

The  meeting  was  addressed  by  John  C.  Park,  ex-Governor 
Banks,  George  S.  Hillard,  and  Thomas  H.  Russell  in  speeches 
filled  with  patriotic  sentiments  and  earnest  appeals  to  the  judg 
ment  and  conscience  of  the  people. 

We  now  return  to  the  State  House,  where  the  work  of  fitting 
out  regiments,  organizing  new  departments,  listening  to  various 
propositions,  answering  innumerable  questions,  receiving  and 
writing  letters,  pressed  upon  the  Governor  and  his  personal 
staff,  the  Adjutant-General  and  his  assistants,  the  Quarter 
master-General  and  his  clerks,  from  early  morning  until  mid 
night.  An  abstract  of  a  portion  only  of  the  correspondence  will 
show  the  nature  and  extent  of  a  part  of  the  labor  performed. 

April  18.  —  Tbe  Governor  writes  to  Miss  A.  J.  Gill,  also 
to  Miss  Anna  M.  Clarke,  also  to  Mary  A.  G.  Robinson,  who 
have  offered  themselves  to  be  nurses  ;  to  Robert  B.  Forbes, 
acknowledging  the  receipt  of  his  "  Address  to  the  Merchants 
and  Seamen  of  Massachusetts  to  organize  a  Coast  Guard  ;  "  to 
Dr.  Winslow  Lewis,  who  offered  to  give  medical  advice  and 
attendance  to  soldiers'  families  free  of  charge.  Thanks  Leopold 
Morse,  of  Boston,  for  a  gift  of  one  hundred  pairs  of  ready- 
made  pants  for  soldiers.  To  Secretary  Cameron,  asking  for 
more  muskets. 

April  19.  —  Governor  telegraphs  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
"  Would  you  like  another  regiment  composed  of  Irishmen  en 
listed  specially?  "  Writes  to  Arthur  Hanley,  who  had  inquired 
"  if  unnaturalized  persons  would  be  accepted  in  the  militia,"  to 
"  go  ahead."  Acknowledges  "  with  gratitude  the  devoted  and 
benevolent  offer  of  Mrs.  Harriet  M.  Gibson;"  also  a  letter 
from  Miss  Hannah  E.  Stevenson,  who  offered  her  services  as  a 
nurse.  Telegraphs  to  Secretary  Cameron  that  "the  steamer 
'  State  of  Maine,'  with  the  Fourth  Regiment  on  board,  is  detained 
at  New  York;  depends  on  his  providing  a  convoy  from  the 
capes  of  Virginia,  if  necessary.  Writes  to  William  Gray, 


118  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

accepting  the  offer  made  by  ladies  through  him  "  to  supply 
under-clothing  for  the  soldiers."  Thanks  James  M.  Stone  "for 
his  valuable  aid  as  assistant  quartermaster  in  getting  off  the 
regiments.  Acknowledges  the  receipt  of  a  beautiful  fire-arrn 
from  Dr.  Henry  G.  Clark,  "  to  be  given  to  the  surgeon  of  the 
forces  of  Massachusetts  who  shall  best  perform  his  duty  in  the 
exercise  of  his  profession  towards  the  brave  men  who  have 
taken  up  arms  in  behalf  of  liberty  and  the  country."  Tele 
graphs,  seven  o'clock,  P.M.,  to  General  Butler,  "When  did 
you  reach  Philadelphia?  When  will  you  leave?  Is  the  way 
open  ?  Can  you  communicate  by  telegraph  with  Washington  ? 
Has  Jones  reached  Washington  ?  " 

April  20.  —  Writes  to  Dr.  H.  II.  Fuller  that  "  surgeons  are 
appointed  under  the  militia  law  by  colonels  of  regiments,  and 
not  by  the  Governor."  Acknowledges  receipt  from  Captain 
Edward  Ingersoll,  Springfield  Armory,  of  "  two  hundred  and 
fifty  rifled  muskets."  Thanks  Miss  Laura  A.  Phillips,  of  Great 
Falls,  N.H.,  for  her  offer  to  nurse  our  wounded  men  in  Balti 
more  ;  also  Miss  Laura  B.  Forbes,  of  Cambridgeport,  for  the 
same  offer.  Telegraphs  Hon.  Hannibal  Hamlin,  Yice-Presi- 
dent,  Hampden,  Me.,  "I  advise  you  to  come  forward  without 
delay,  in  view  of  possible  events  at  Washington."  Telegraphs 
Governor  Washburn,  of  Maine,  "  One  advance  regiment  [the 
Sixth]  has  reached  Washington.  No  other  yet  beyond  Phila 
delphia."  Directs  the  Adjutant-General  "  to  grant  all  applica 
tions  for  organizing  new  companies  when  he  has  confidence  in 
the  parties.  When  doubts  exist,  consult  the  Governor."  Di 
rects  the  Adjutant-General  "  to  get  off  Cook's  Light  Battery  by 
steamer  before  midnight ;  also  the  left  wing  of  the  Fifth  Kegi- 
mcnt,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Greene,  and  the  right  wing, 
under  Colonel  Lnwrence,  by  railroad  during  the  night."  This 
arrangement  could  not  be  made  ;  and  the  Governor  telegraphed 
to  Simeon  Draper,  New  York,  to  "engage  steamers  for  twelve 
hundred  troops,  six  cannon,  caissons,  and  seventy-two  horses, 
from  New  York  to  Annapolis,  to  leave  New  York  Sunday 
morning."  Telegraphs  Major  Ladd,  "  Senator  Wilson  will  be 
in  New  York  to-morrow  morning,  and  will  inform  you  fully 
what  our  wants  are  for  the  troops  on  their  march."  Telegraphs 


MISCELLANEOUS    LETTERS    OF    THE    GOVERNOR.  119 

Major  P.  Adams  Ames,  Philadelphia,  "We  will  send  horses, 
artillery,  and  infantry  to  New  York  by  rail,  thence  by  steamer 
to  Annapolis."  Telegraphs  the  Mayor  of  Baltimore,  "I 
pray  you  to  cause  the  bodies  of  our  Massachusetts  soldiers 
dead  in  Baltimore  to  be  immediately  laid  out,  preserved  with 
ice,  and  tenderly  sent  forward  by  express  to  me.  All  expenses 
will  be  paid  by  this  Commonwealth."  Telegraphs  Simeon 
Draper,  New  York,  "Procure,  to  be  delivered  to  Colonel  Law 
rence,  of  our  Fifth  Regiment,  to-morrow  morning,  eight  hun 
dred  knapsacks  suitable  for  service,  or  else  slings  for  carrying 
blankets."  Thanks  Mrs.  William  Ward  for  her  offer  "  to  aid 
in  any  manner  in  her  power,  our  departing  troops,  and  to  cheer 
those  whom  they  leave  behind."  Telegraphs  to  Mayor  Sargent, 
of  Lowell,  "  We  have  no  official  information  of  the  names  of  the 
dead.  A  despatch  from  the  Mayor  of  Baltimore  says  the  bodies 
cannot  be  sent  on  at  present,  as  communication  by  land  and  sea 
is  stopped.  But  they  have  been  carefully  cared  for,  and  will 
be  put  in  Greenwood  Cemetery  till  they  can  be  sent  to  Massa 
chusetts."  Informs  A.  B.  Ely,  of  Boston,  that  "we  are  taking 
'most  active  measures  for  procuring  a  supply  of  efficient  arms." 
Thanks  Rev.  Eli  A.  Smith  "for  his  patriotic  and  Christian 
offer"  of  assistance;  also  Dr.  Coale,  of  Boston,  for  offer  of 
professional  services,  and  Miss  Hazard  and  Miss  Burns,  who 
offer  themselves  as  nurses.  Notifies  Mr.  Crowninshield  that 
the  Executive  Council  have  "approved  of  his  suggestion,  and  he 
has  appointed  him  to  proceed  to  Europe  in  the  next  steamer  to 
purchase  arms."  Telegraphs  George  William  Brown,  Mayor  of 
Baltimore  :  "  Dear  Sir,  — I  appreciate  your  kind  attention  to  our 
wounded  and  our  dead,  and  trust  that  at  the  earliest  moment 
the  remains  of  the  fallen  will  return  to  us.  I  am  overwhelmed 
with  surprise,  that  a  peaceful  march  of  American  citizens  over 
the  highway,  to  the  defence  of  our  common  capital,  should  be 
deemed  aggressive  to  Baltimoreans.  Through  New  York  the 
march  was  triumphal."  To  Adams  &  Co.'s  Express,  Boston  : 
"Can't  you  get  the  bodies  of  our  dead  through  Baltimore? 
The  Mayor  telegraphs  the  railroad  is  interrupted."  Major  Ladd, 
who  is  referred  to  above,  was  an  officer  on  the  staff  of  Major- 
General  Sutton;  and  Major  Ames,  also  mentioned,  was  an 


120  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

officer  on  the  staff  of  Major-General  Andrews,  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  Volunteer  Militia.  They  had  been  detailed  on  special 
duty  at  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 

April  22. —  The  Governor  telegraphs  to  the  Superintendent 
of  the  Springfield  Armory,  "  Can  you  send  me  to-night  a  first- 
rate  armorer,  who  is  a  judge  of  arms,  ready  to  go  where  he 
may  be  wanted  for  six  weeks  ?  "  A  first-rate  armorer,  Charles 
McFarland,  was  procured,  who  went  abroad  with  Mr.  Crown- 
inshield,  two  days  after,  to  purchase  arms.  Governor  acknowl 
edges  receipt  of  a  check  for  five  hundred  dollars  from  George 
Draper,  "  to  be  appropriated  for  the  relief  of  the  families  of 
those  who  have  fallen  or  may  fall  in  obeying  the  call  of  their 
country."  Gives  a  letter  to  Rev.  N.  Shepard,  pastor  of  the 
Tremont-Street  Baptist  Church,  who  said  he  should  "  start  for 
Washington  this  evening,  if  he  had  to  walk  all  the  way." 
Acknowledges  the  receipt  from  William  Dehon  of  eighty-eight 
flannel  shirts  ff  for  the  soldiers  of  Massachusetts  who  may  be 
unprovided  for  in  the  present  emergency."  Requests  S.  G. 
Ward,  of  Boston,  banker,  "  to  issue  a  letter  of  credit  in  favor  of 
F.  B.  Crowninshield  for  fifty  thousand  pounds  sterling."  Tele 
graphs  Simeon  Draper,  New  York,  that  Mr.  Crowninshield 
"will  be  at  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel  to-night,  to  take  steamer  'Persia' 
for  Liverpool  on  Wednesday."  Writes  to  General  Butler,  that 
"  the  citizens  of  Salem  have  appointed  Dr.  Lincoln  R.  Stone  to 
attend  to  the  wants  of  the  companies  that  have  marched  from 
that  city,  and  that  he  would  see  that  the  funds  raised  by  sub 
scription  for  that  purpose  may  be  properly  expended."  Writes 
to  President  Lincoln,  that  "Ex-Governor  Boutwell  has  been 
appointed  the  agent  of  the  Commonwealth  to  proceed  to  Wash 
ington  to  confer  with  him  in  regard  to  the  forts  in  Massachu 
setts  and  the  militia."  Governor  Boutwell  was  also  to  see 
General  Wool  in  New  York.  Instructs  Mr.  Crowninshield 
"  that  he  is  to  procure  twenty-five  thousand  stand  of  arms,  of 
the  best  style  and  patterns,  and  to  have  them  conform  as  nigh 
as  possible  to  those  now  in  use  in  the  army."  He  was  to  co-ope 
rate  with  agents  from  other  loyal  States,  and  to  look  out  if 
agents  of  disloyal  States  were  abroad  on  a  similar  errand. 
Writes  to  Secretary  Cameron,  that  Ex-Governor  Boutwell  will 


MISCELLANEOUS   LETTERS    OF   THE    GOVERNOR.  121 

confer  with  him  in  regard  to  garrisoning  our  forts  with  militia ; 
also  recommends  that  a  guard  be  placed  at  the  United-States 
Arsenal  at  Springfield.  "  Two  thousand  men  could  be  thus 
employed,  who  would  enlist  for  one  or  two  years,  be  drilled  as 
soldiers,  and  sent  forward  when  required."  Telegraphs  to  Secre 
tary  of  War  for  "  one  or  two  thousand  smooth-bore  muskets, 
of  which  there  are  one  hundred  thousand  at  the  Springfield 
Arsenal."  Acknowledges  with  thanks  the  offer  of  the  Empire 
Association  of  Lynn  to  "  give  to  the  new  volunteer  company 
raised  in  that  city  sixty-six  military  frock-coats."  Thanks 
"  Mr.  Tilson,  and  the  ladies  of  the  Baptist  Church  and  Society 
of  Hingham,  for  the  tender  of  their  services  to  make  clothing 
and  sew  for  the  soldiers." 

April  23.  — The  Governor  writes  a  letter  to  Major-General 
Wool,  introducing  William  L.  Burt,  of  Boston,  who  was  in 
structed  to  "  get  authority  to  garrison  the  forts  in  Boston  harbor 
with  militia."  John  M.  Forbes,  by  direction  of  the  Governor, 
writes  to  Samuel  M.  Felton,  of  Philadelphia:  "  Your  informa 
tion  about  matters  at  Annapolis  received.  The  expedition 
which  left  New  York  yesterday  will  take  care  of  Annapolis ; 
but  we  shall  continue  our  preparations,  including  armed  ships. 
Look  out  for  Port  Deposite.  Keep  us  posted."  Governor 
writes  to  Mrs.  Harriot  C.  Gould  and  Mrs.  Harriot  A.  Jaquith, 
who  had  offered  to  furnish  the  soldiers  with  the  New  Testa 
ment,  and  informs  them  "  that  each  soldier  of  the  Fifth  Regi 
ment,  which  left  Boston  on  Sunday,  had  been  furnished  with  a 
Bible ;  and  there  is  an  abundant  supply  to  furnish  those  who 
are  expected  to  leave."  Writes  to  Henry  A.  J.  Williams  that 
"  colored  men  cannot  be  enrolled  in  the  miiitia.  It  cannot  be 
done  by  law,  which  limits  the  militia  to  white  male  citizens. 
Personally,  he  knows  no  distinction  of  class  or  color,  in  his 
regard  for  his  fellow-citizens,  nor  in  their  regard  for  our  com 
mon  country."  Writes  to  Mrs.  Devereux,  wife  of  Captain 
Devereux,  of  the  Eighth  Regiment,  who  had  offered  her  services 
as  a  nurse,  "  that  he  would  be  reluctant  to  call  into  the  field 
another  member  of  a  family  which  has  already  contributed  so 
many  of  its  children  to  the  country."  Two  brothers  of  Captain 
Devereux  were  also  in  the  service. 


122  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    BEBELLION. 

April  24. — The  Governor  writes  to  Governor  Washburn, 
of  Maine,  that  "the  understanding  is,  that  Mr.  Crowninshield  is 
to  purchase  three  thousand  rifled  muskets,  of  the  most  approved 
pattern,  for  Maine,  and  Maine  is  to  bear  her  proportion  of  the 
expenses  of  the  agent."  Also  to  Governor  Goodwin,  of  New 
Hampshire,  that  Mr.  Crowninshield  is  to  purchase  two  thou 
sand  muskets  for  that  State,  with  the  same  understanding  in 
regard  to  sharing  expenses. 

April  25.  — The  Governor  writes  to  the  Trustees  of  the  State 
Nautical-School  Ship,  inclosing  an  order  passed  by  the  Execu 
tive  Council,  "to  place  guns  on  board  the  ship,  and  to  have 
the  boys  drilled  in  their  use  for  the  defence  of  the  coast.  The 
guns  are  to  be  four  bronze  six-pounders."  Writes  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  a  letter  introducing  Wilder  Dwi°'ht  and  George 

v  O  £3  & 

L.  Andrews,  who  were  going  to  Washington  to  get  authority  to 
raise  a  regiment  of  volunteers  for  the  war.  He  had  written 
to  the  Secretary  on  the  17th  on  the  subject,  but  had  received 
no  answer.  He  fully  indorses  the  scheme,  and  "hopes  it  may 
receive  such  assistance  and  co-operation  from  the  United  States 
as  can  with  propriety  be  offered.  Major  Gordon,  who  will 
command  the  regiment,  is  a  gentleman  of  careful  military  edu 
cation  and  large  executive  ability  ;  and  it  will  be  officered  by 
such  gentlemen  as  Mr.  Andrews  and  Mr.  D wight,  gentlemen 
of  the  best  standing  in  Massachusetts."  Writes  to  the  Com 
mander  of  the  Charlestown  Navy  Yard,  "  Allow  me  to  advise  and 
urge  you  to  hold  at  the  navy  yard,  or  under  your  control,  all 
naval  officers  who  will  not  swear  allegiance  to  the  United-States 
Government,  until  instruction  can  be  got  from  Washington." 
Writes  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  "  In  addition  to  raising  Gor 
don's  regiment,  we  can  send  you  four  thousand  more  troops 
within  a  very  .short  time  after  receipt  of  a  requisition  for  them. 
Do  you  wish  us  to  send  men  as  we  may  get  them  ready,  without 
waiting  requisitions?  What  shall  we  do,  or  what  do  you  wish 
us  to  do,  about  provisioning  our  men?  Is  Fortress  Monroe 
supplied  with  provisions?  Will  you  authorize  the  enlistment 
here,  and  mustering  into  the  United-States  service,  Irish,  Ger 
mans,  and  other  toiujh  men,  to  be  drilled  and  prepared  here 
for  service?  We  have  men  enough  of  such  description,  eager 


MISCELLANEOUS   LETTERS    OF    THE    GOVERNOR.  123 

to  be  employed,  sufficient  to  make  three  regiments.  Finally, 
will  you  direct  some  general  instructions  and  suggestions  to  be 
sent  to  me  as  to  any  thing,  no  matter  what  or  how  much,  you 
may  wish  from  Massachusetts,  and  procure  General  Scott  also  to 
do  so  ?  and  we  will  try  and  meet,  so  far  as  may  be,  every  wish  of 
the  Government  up  to  the  very  limit  of  our  resources  and  power. 
Will  you  put  the  six  thousand  rifles,  now  at  the  United-States 
Arsenal  at  Watertown,  at  our  disposal  for  our  men,  and  send 
immediately  orders  for  that  purpose?  "We  shall  be  able  to 
replace  them  at  an  early  day,  if  it  shall  be  necessary."  Ac 
knowledges  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  George  T.  Curtis,  of 
New  York,  who  had  written  "  to  express  his  sincere  apprecia 
tion  of,  and  thanks  for,  his  co-operation  in  all  actions  taken  by 
the  Commonwealth,  and  by  himself  as  its  chief  magistrate,  to 
maintain  the  integrity  and  supremacy  of  the  Federal  Union." 

April  26. —  Governor  writes  to  Commodore  Hudson,  Navy 
Yard,  Charlestown,  "John  M.  Forbes  is  acting  as  agent  for 
the  Commonwealth  in  fitting  up  and  preparing  the  '  Cambridge ' 
as  an  armed  steamer  for  coast  defence,  and  for  the  benefit  of 
the  common  cause.  Will  you  be  good  enough  to  oblige  us 
with  furnishing  him  with  guns,  armament,  and  ammunition  he 
may  need  from  the  navy  yard?  Any  aid  you  may  give  will 
serve  the  great  object  nearest  the  hearts  of  us  all,  and  receive 
my  lasting  gratitude."  To  George  S.  Bout  well,  Groton,  Mass.  : 
"We  need  your  information,  influence,  and  acquaintance  with 
the  Cabinet,  and  knowledge  of  Eastern  public  sentiment,  to 
leave  immediately  for  Washington.  Hope  you  will  proceed  at 
once,  and  open  and  preserve  communication  between  you  and 
myself."  To  Montgomery  Blair,  Postmaster-General:  "Hon. 
D wight  Foster,  our  Attorney-General,  will  hand  you  this  note, 
with  my  full  commendations.  Mr.  Foster  is  a  gentleman  with 
whom  you  can  take  counsel,  finding  him  full  of  the  fire  and 
hard-working  zeal  of  Massachusetts.  How  long,  O  Lord  !  how 
long  will  they  delay  our  people  ?  "  To  George  Ashmun,  Spring 
field,  Mass.  :  "A  Mr.  T.  Jones  Lyman,  of  Montreal,  Canada 
West,  informs  me  that  there  are  two  hundred  thousand  percus 
sion  muskets  at  the  armories,  either  at  Quebec  or  Montreal. 
Will  you  ascertain  if  there  is  any  way  in  which  they  can  be 


124  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

bought?"  Governor  to  General  John  E.  Wool,  commanding 
Department  of  the  East,  New  York  :  "  I  have  garrisoned  Fort 
Independence,  on  Castle  Island,  in  Boston  harbor,  with  a  battalion 
of  infantry  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  ;  and  shall  have  another 
battalion  of  the  same  strength  in  Fort  Warren,  on  George's 
Island,  on  Monday  morning.  I  have  a  third  battalion,  which  1 
can  station  at  Fort  Winthrop  ;  and  there  are  from  two  to  three 
thousand  volunteers,  whom  I  wish  to  place  under  drill  and  disci 
pline,  in  these  forts.  In  Fort  Independence,  there  are  none  of 
the  casemate  guns  mounted,  and  no  barbette  guns  on  the  face 
which  vessels  entering  the  harbor  approach.  In  Forts  Warren 
and  Winthrop  there  are  no  guns.  This  important  harbor,  there 
fore,  seems  to  be  almost  entirely  undefended.  I  would  therefore 
request  you  to  order  Captain  Rodman  [Watertown  Arsenal]  to 
supply  these  forts  with  the  guns  and  carriages  necessary  for  their 
defence,  and  detail  an  officer  of  engineers  to  put  the  works  in 
proper  condition.  If  an  officer  of  artillery  could  also  be  detailed 
to  give  the  necessary  instruction,  the  garrison  would  soon  be  able 
to  use  the  guns  with  effect.  Please  give  us  the  order  for  the 
guns  and  carriages  at  once."  Governor  to  Governor  Washburn , 
of  Maine  (telegram):  "New  York  urges  that  Maine  would 
hurry  forward  her  men.  We  have  parted  with  certain  equip 
ments  to  Mr.  Blaine,  the  agent  of  your  adjutant."  Governor 
to  Governor  Fairbanks,  of  Vermont  (telegram)  :  "  New  York 
wants  Vermont  to  hurry.  The  case  is  urgent.  Your  adjutant 
said  that  the  three  hundred  muskets  we  let  him  have  would  finish 
equipment." 

April  27.  — By  direction  of  the  Governor,  Colonel  Sargent, 
aide-de-camp,  writes  to  Secretary  Cameron,  asking  "to  have 
the  Irish  Brigade,  so  called,  sent  to  the  forts  to  help  man  them 
and  place  the  guns."  Governor  to  General  Wool,  "Cannot 
you  send  us  an  officer  of  the  United  States  army,  with  authority 
to  superintend  the  military  operations,  and  to  give  us  some 
advice,  from  time  to  time,  on  military  questions?"  By  direc 
tion  of  the  Governor,  Colonel  Browne,  private  secretary,  writes 
to  the  Mayor  of  Boston,  in  reply  to  a  letter  of  the  day  before, 
"  Concerning  the  action  of  the  city  of  Boston  in  reference  to 
the  subsistence  of  troops  detailed  to  garrison  the  forts  in  the 


MISCELLANEOUS    LETTEKS    OF    THE    GOVERNOR.  125 

harbor,  His  Excellency  directs  me  to  say,  that  at  the  earliest 
practical  moment,  probably  during  the  first  days  of  the  coming 
week,  he  shall  place  troops  in  the  forts,  to  whom  the  bounty  of 
the  city  will  apply  ;  and  the  Adjutant-General  is  instructed  to 
superintend  and  arrange  all  the  details  of  the  operation."  Gov 
ernor  to  John  M.  Forbes,  "Buy  the  'Pembroke'  on  the  best  terms 
possible,  letting  the  merchants  or  coast-guard  company  put  in  such 
part  of  the  cost  as  you  can  arrange.  She  must  be  armed  and  fitted 
with  all  reasonable  speed,  and  be  prepared  to  carry  stores.  She 
must  only  be  used  as  coast-guard,  when  we  can  spare  her  from 
transportation.  Let  the  alterations  be  as  few  as  possible,  so  as 
to  keep  her  cost  down  to  the  lowest  point  compatible  with  effi 
ciency  as  an  armed  storeship."  Governor  to  James  M.  Stone, 
who  had  given  valuable  aid  as  assistant-quartermaster:  "I  received 
your  account  last  Saturday,  with  your  admirable,  full,  and  accu 
rate  report.  The  whole  forms  a  model  statement.  I  will  have 
the  account  passed  to-day  by  the  Council."  The  Council  ap 
proved  Mr.  Stone's  account,  and  voted  to  pay  him  seventy-five 
dollars  for  his  services,  which  he  declined  to  receive,  as  he  in 
tended  his  services  to  be  gratuitous. 

April  29.  —  Governor  to  Rev.  Dr.  Stearns,  President  of 
Amherst  College  :  "  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt 
of  your  letter  concerning  the  three  young  gentlemen,  students  of 
Amherst  College,  — Mr.  James  A..  JKhea  and  Mr.  Joseph  B. 
Rhea,  of  Blountville,  Tenn.,  and  Mr.  William  A.  Stay- 
maker,  of  Alexandria,  Va.,  —  who,  you  assure  me,  are  loyal 
to  their  Government,  and  who,  on  account  of  the  perils  of  the 
times,  are  summoned  by  their  friends  to  return  to  their  homes. 
No  persons  who  are  loyal  to  their  Government  need  any  r  pass 
port  or  testimonial,'  from  me  or  from  any  other  person,  to  travel 
freely  throughout  this  Commonwealth  ;  and  I  feel  confident,  that 
the  travel  of  such  persons  throughout  the  United  States  will  be 
obstructed  nowhere,  unless  by  traitors  and  rebels,  or  as  a  mili 
tary  necessity  by  troops  acting  against  traitors  and  rebels." 
Governor  to  George  Dwight,  Superintendent  of  the  Springfield 
Armory,  introducing  Mr.  Elaine,  agent  of  the  State  of  Maine, 
who  wished  to  get  three  thousand  muskets  for  that  State. 
Governor  to  Robert  M.  Mason,  of  Boston  :  "I  hold  a  check  for 


12G  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

ten  thousand  dollars,  payable  to  my  order,  being  the  gift  of 
William  Gray,  Esq.,  for  the  benefit  and  relief  of  the  families  of 
the  Massachusetts  privates  and  non-commissioned  officers  called 
into  active  service.  It  was  tendered  to  me  before  the  forma 
tion  of  the  'Committee  of  One  Hundred;'  and  I  now,  with 
Mr.  Gray's  consent,  at  your  convenience,  desire  to  place  it  in 
your  hands,  as  the  treasurer  of  the  committee,  for  appropriate 
distribution  according  to  the  methods  and  rules  of  that  organi 
zation.  I  cannot  perform  this  pleasing  task  without  adding  a 
feeble  expression  of  the  deep  sensibility  with  which  I  received 
this  noble  and  characteristic  munificence,  and  of  the  honor  I 
feel  in  being  made  the  instrument  of  its  transmission."  Also,  a 
similar  letter  to  Mr.  Mason,  transmitting  a  check  of  Mrs.  Han 
nah  F.  Lee  for  one  thousand  dollars.  To  Governor  Bucking 
ham,  of  Connecticut,  "We  cannot  furnish  you  with  muskets,  as 
we  have  exhausted  our  store.  Will  you  co-operate  with  us, 
and  have  some  bought  by  our  agent -in  England?"  To  Dr. 
William  J.  Dale,  "Express  to  Mrs.  Tyler,  and  other  citizens 
of  Baltimore,  my  thanks  for  the  care  they  have  taken  of  our 
wounded  men  in  that  city." 

These  extracts  show  the  variety  of  topics  which,  in  the  first 
two  weeks  of  the  war,  engaged  the  Governor's  attention. 
The  letters  on  file  in  the  Adjutant-General's  office,  embracing 
the  same  period,  also  disclose  much  that  is  of  interest,  though 
in  a  more  limited  and  local  sense.  They  are  chiefly  confined 
to  answering  inquiries  made  by  selectmen  of  towns,  and  ap 
plications  made  by  young  men  to  raise  new  companies,  many 
of  whom  were  afterwards  officers  in  the  volunteer  service,  and 
rose  to  high  commands.  On  the  25th  of  April,  the  Adjutant- 
General  received  a  letter  from  Addison  Gage  &  Co.,  of  Boston, 
tendering  to  the  Massachusetts  soldiers  a  ship-load  of  ice.  The 
letter  says,  — 

"  The  Massachusetts  troops  who  have  so  nobly  responded  to  the  call 
of  our  Government  for  the  defence  of  the  capital,  being,  for  the  most 
part,  in  the  habit  of  using  ice,  and  now  called  to  a  warm  climate,  where 
it  is  more  a  necessity  than  a  luxury,  we  shall  be  happy  to  contribute  a 
cargo  for  their  use,  the  time  to  be  at  your  disposal,  whenever  you  deem 
it  expedient  to  send  it.  In  case  there  is  no  suitable  place  to  receive 


THE    DEAD   WHO   FELL   AT   BALTIMORE.  127 

the  cargo,  it  can  be  packed  in  the  vessel,  and  kept  for  months,  with 
proper  care." 

The  offer  was  accepted,  and  a  vessel  was  chartered  to  take 
the  ice  to  Fortress  Monroe.  The  occupants  of  Quincy  Market, 
of  whom  Hiscock  &  Winslow  and  Harrison  Bird  were  a  com 
mittee,  contributed  a  large  quantity  of  fresh  provisions,  which 
were  preserved  on  the  ice,  and  sent  in  the  ship. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  the  bodies  of  Luther  C.  Ladd,  Addison 
O.  Whitney,  and  Sumner  H.  Needham,  who  were  killed  in 
Baltimore  on  the  19th  of  April,  reached  Boston.  Even  then 
the  names  of  the  dead  were  not  positively  known.  The  bodies 
were  properly  received,  and  placed  in  the  receiving-vault  at 
King's  Chapel.  That  same  afternoon,  the  Governor  wrote  to 
Colonel  Jones,  of  the  Sixth  Regiment, — 

"  Mr.  Merrill  S.  Wright  arrived  at  Boston  this  afternoon  in  charge 
of  the  bodies  of  three  Massachusetts  soldiers  who  fell  at  Baltimore. 
They  were  received  by  me  at  the  depot,  and  were  conveyed,  under  an 
appropriate  escort,  to  the  King's  Chapel,  where  they  are  deposited  until 
they  can  be  finally  interred  with  appropriate  funeral  honors.  When 
ever  you  can  obtain  the  finite  and  absolutely  certain  information  con 
cerning  the  names  of  the  three  dead,  I  desire  you  to  inform  me.  I 
understand  them  to  be  James  Keenan,  of  Stoneham ;  Edward  Coburn, 
of  Lowell ;  and  S.  Henry  Needham,  of  Lawrence  :  but  I  desire  to 
obtain  final  and  official  information  as  to  the  correctness  of  my  pres 
ent  understanding." 

He  also  wrote  to  Mr.  Sargent,  Mayor  of  Lowell,  — 
"  I  met  these  relics  of  our  brave  and  patriotic  soldiers  at  the  Wor 
cester  Railroad  Depot,  accompanied  by  my  military  staff  and  the 
Executive  Council,  where  we  took  them  in  charge,  and,  under  the 
escort  of  the  corps  of  '  Independent  Cadets,'  bore  them  through  our 
streets,  thronged  by  sympathizing  citizens,  and  placed  them  in  the 
'  Vassall '  tomb,  beneath  the  ancient  King's  Chapel,  at  the  corner  of 
Tremont  and  School  Streets.  There  they  remain,  subject  to  the 
orders  of  those  friends  who  have  the  right  to  decide  their  final  disposi 
tion.  But  it  would  be  most  grateful  to  the  Executive  Department,  in 
co-operation  with  those  nearest  to  the  lamented  dead,  to  assist  in  the  last 
funeral  honors  to  their  memory  ;  and  I  should  be  pleased  to  meet  you, 
and  the  Mayor  of  Lawrence,  and  the  Selectmen  of  Stoneham.  as  soon 
as  you  may  convene  them,  at  the  State  House,  to  consider  the  arrange 
ments  suitable  to  this  occasion." 


128  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  Colonel  Sargent,  of  the  Governor's  staff, 
wrote  to  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Whitney  :  — 

"  I  promised  to  write  to  you  if  I  learned  any  thing  of  interest  to  you. 
There  are  no  marks  of  any  description  whatever  on  the  arms  of  the 
man  whom  you  saw  this  afternoon.  I  had  a  careful  examination  made. 
There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  this  man  and  your  husband  are  two 
entirely  different  persons.  There  is  no  reason  to  think  that  any 
harm  lias  come  to  your  husband.  I  have  no  doubt  he  is  alive  and 
well,  and  doing  his  duty  like  a  good  citizen  and  brave  soldier." 

James  Keenan  and  Edward  Coburn  were  wounded  in  Balti 
more,  but  neither  of  them  fatally.  Of  the  four  who  were 
killed,  Charles  Taylor  was  buried  in  Baltimore.  No  trace  of 
his  family  or  friends  has  ever  been  discovered.  Needham  was 
buried  in  Lawrence ;  Whitney  and  Ladd,  in  Lowell.  The 
funeral  services  at  Lawrence  and  Lowell,  over  the  bodies 
of  these  first  martyrs  of  the  great  Rebellion,  were  grand  and 
imposing.  In  each  city,  monuments  of  enduring  granite  have 
been  raised  to  commemorate  their  deaths,  and  to  be  their  sepul 
chres. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  Governor  Andrew  wrote  to  Simeon 
Draper,  of  New  York,  that  he  had  "about  four  thousand  troops 
already  in  the  field,  as  many  more  ready  at  brief  notice  ;  proba 
bly  ten  thousand  drilling,  hoping  for  an  opportunity.  Why 
don't  the  Government  call  faster  ?  We  sent  a  steamer  with  sup 
plies  to-day."  The  steamer  here  referred  to  was  the  "Cam 
bridge,"  which  had  been  fitted  out  by  the  State,  and  had  sailed, 
laden  with  supplies  of  clothing  and  provisions  for  the  Massa 
chusetts  troops,  on  the  1st  of  May.  She  had  also  some  re 
cruits  for  the  Third  Regiment,  and  a  company  for  the  Rifle 
Battalion.  After  taking  out  certain  supplies  and  men  at  For 
tress  Monroe,  she  was  to  go  by  the  Potomac  to  Washington,  if 
it  were  safe  to  do  so.  Governor  Andrew  wrote  to  General 
Scott  a  detailed  statement  of  the  expedition.  lie  said,  — 

"1st.  I  desire  our  Massachusetts  troops  to  receive  and  have  the 
first  benefit  of  oui-  supplies,  but,  if  need  be,  that  others  should  share 
them. 

'  '2<L  That,  if  you  see  any  objection  to  the  '  Cambridge '  going  up 
the  Potomac,  you  would  give  orders  to  Captain  Matthews,  her  com 
mander,  who  is  instructed  to  receive  your  directions." 


STEAM   TRANSPORTS   WITH   PROVISIONS.  129 

The  vessel  cleared  for  Annapolis  ;  but  her  real  destination 
was  Washington,  and  she  was  the  first  ship  that  arrived  there 
with  troops  and  supplies  of  clothing  and  provisions.  On  ar 
riving  at  Washington,  Captain  Matthews  was  ordered  to  report 
to  General  Scott,  and,  if  he  needed  the  steamer  for  the  public 
service,  to  obey  his  commands  ;  if  not,  to  return  immediately  to 
Boston.  His  sealed  orders  were  to  report  "  first  to  the  senior 
Massachusetts  officer  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  deliver  to  him 
such  supplies  and  special  packages  as  shall  be  designated  for 
that  port. 

"  Second,  if  at  Fortress  Monroe  he  should  hear  from  General 
Butler  that  the  passage  up  the  Potomac  was  dangerous,  he  was 
to  wait  twenty-four  hours  for  orders  from  General  Scott ;  and, 
if  he  received  orders  from  him  not  to  proceed  up  the  Potomac, 
he  was  to  proceed  forthwith  to  Annapolis,  land  Captain  Dodd's 
company,  and  turn  over  the  stores  to  the  senior  Massachusetts 
officer  in  command.  He  was  to  bring  back  '  such  sick  or  duly 
discharged  soldiers '  as  he  might  be  requested  to  take  and  could 
accommodate."  If  at  any  time  he  should  be  attacked,  he  was 
to  resist,  and,  if  possible,  to  take  or  sink  the  attacking  vessel. 
He  was  to  preserve  strict  discipline,  and  to  practise,  at  suitable 
times,  with  his  guns.  He  was  to  offer  to  every  Massachusetts 
command  he  fell  in  with  to  bring  home  any  letters  or  packages 
they  might  wish  to  send  home  to  friends. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  reserved  stores  sent  to  Fortress  Mon 
roe,  purchased  and  shipped  by  John  M.  Forbes,  under  orders 
from  the  Governor  :  — 

60  beef  barrels  mess  beef,  at  $10  per  bbl §600.00 

30  beef  barrels  prime  pork,  at  $14  per  bbl 420.00 

5,000  Ibs.  hams,  about,  at  10  cents  per  Ib 500.00 

20  kegs  lard,  about  850  Ibs.,  at  12  cents  per  Ib 102.00 

1,000  Ibs.  butter,  about,  at  23  cents  per  Ib 230.00 

2,000  Ibs.  cheese,  about,  at  11  cents  per  Ib 220.00 

2,000  Ibs.  of  sugar,  about,  at  8  cents  per  Ib 160.00 

500  Ibs.  Oolong  tea,  about,  at  35  cents  per  Ib 175.00 

1,000  Ibs.  coffee,  about,  at  13  cents  per  Ib : 

10,000  Ibs.  pilot  bread,  about,  at  4  cents  per  Ib 400.00 

5  beef  bbls.  pickles,  about,  at  Is.  per  gall 

Lot  meats  in  canisters,  for  officers,  valued  at • 

$3,070.33 


130  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

On  the  3d  of  May,  Governor  Andrew  addressed  the  follow 
ing  letter  to  President  Lincoln  :  — 

O 

"  I  hand  you  copy  of  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Commissary-General, 
explaining  the  action  they  (the  agents  I  have  appointed)  have  taken 
to  provide  subsistence  for  our  Massachusetts  troops. 

"  Cut  off  as  we  were  from  connection  with  you,  I  took  the  responsi 
bility  of  providing  and  forwarding  such  things  as  could  be  bought 
advantageously  here,  believing  they  will  be  found  useful  to  the  army 
and  navy. 

"  I  hope  that  you  will  direct  the  proper  department  to  take  charge  of 
such  of  their  supplies  as  are  suitable  to  their  use,  and  pay  for  the  same, 
as  suggested.  We  have,  further,  under  the  pressure  of  the  exigency, 
taken  the  responsibility  of  joining  the  underwriters  and  merchants  of 
Boston  in  buying,  fitting  out,  and,  with  the  help  of  Captain  Hudson, 
arming  two  propellers,  for  the  combined  purpose  of  coast-guard  arid 
transports  for  troops  and  supplies. 

"  Neither  of  the  vessels  is  exactly  what  is  wanted ;  but  they  are 
strong,  useful,  nearly  new,  and  are  bought  at  prices  but  little  above 
their  commercial  value  in  peaceful  times,  and  can  hardly  fail  to  be  use 
ful  to  the  public  service  in  the  impending  struggle.  If  you  approve  our 
action,  will  you  be  pleased  to  direct  the  proper  departments,  either  to 
receive  the  vessels  at  their  cost,  as  if  bought  for  the  United-States  Gov 
ernment,  or,  if  that  is  impossible,  to  give  them  employment  in  carrying 
stores  and  troops,  at  the  highest  prices  which  are  paid  to  individuals, 
with  the  assurance  that  the  vessels  will  be  always  at  the  disposition 
of  Government,  and  will  meantime  be  used  to  guard  our  coasts,  and 
allay  the  apprehension  of  our  people  regarding  the  threatened  piratical 
proceedings  of  the  secessionists?  A  description  of  these  vessels  is 
annexed. 

"  I  beg  leave  to  add,  that,  immediately  upon  receiving  your  proc 
lamation,  we  took  up  the  war,  and  have  carried  on  our  part  of  it  in 
the  spirit  in  which  we  believe  the  Administration  and  the  American 
people  intend  to  act ;  namely,  as  if  there  was  not  an  inch  of  red  tape 
in  the  world. 

"We  have  now  enough  additional  men  to  furnish  you  with  six 
more  regiments  to  serve  for  the  war,  unless  sooner  discharged. 

"  We  think  the  efficiency  of  any  further  levies  will  be  much  greater 
if  you  will  muster  them,  and  put  them  into  camps  at  once  for  some  drill 
ing  here.  The  men  we  offer,  besides  fighting,  can  do  any  other  things 
for  which  there  may  be  occasion,  from  digging  clams  up  to  making 
piano-fortes. 


LOAN  OF  MONEY  TO  THE  GOVERNMENT.        131 

"  Fervently  devotional  to  the  cause  of  our  country  and  to  the  great 
interests  of  our  country  and  of  the  great  interests  of  posterity  as  well 
as  our  own  time,  and  cordially  in  earnest  in  the  support  of  the  honor 
and  success  of  your  Administration,  the  people  of  Massachusetts  are 
ready  for  the  amplest  and  promptest  obedience  to  your  commands." 

The  above  letter  was  inclosed  in  one  to  Mr.  Foster,  the 
Attorney-General  of  the  State,  who  was  in  Washington.  He 
was  requested  to  call  upon  the  President  and  deliver  it  to  him, 
and  to  exert  his  power  and  influence  to  have  matters  properly 
adjusted  and  permanently  settled. 

A  number  of  ladies  of  Cambridge  formed  a  society  to  work 
for  the  soldiers.  They  requested  Professor  Washburn,  of  the 
Law  School,  to  communicate  their  purpose  to  the  Governor, 
who  wrote,  May  3,  in  acknowledgment  of  the  offer  as  fol 
lows  :  — 

"  In  glancing  over  the  list  of  their  names,  I  realize  most  completely 
how  deep  a  hold  the  cause,  in  behalf  of  which  those  troops  are  mus 
tered,  has  upon  every  social  class  in  our  community ;  that  there  are  no 
hands  in  Massachusetts  too  delicate  to  contribute  something  to  the 
work.  Almost  the  next  letter  which  I  opened,  after  breaking  the  seal 
of  yours,  was  from  a  poor  needle-woman,  saying  she  had  but  little, 
but  desiring  to  give  something  from  that  little  in  the  same  behalf;  and 
surely  a  cause  which  so  appeals  both  to  the  garret  and  the  drawing- 
room  cannot  be  other  than  national  and  just."" 

May  4,  Governor  writes  to  J.  Amory  Davis,  President  of 
the  Suffolk  Bank,  — 

"  Please  read  the  within.  We  shall  have  an  extra  session  of  our 
Legislature  on  Tuesday,  May  14.  Will  the  banks  of  Massachusetts 
take  $5,000,000  of  United-States  loan  at  par?  If  not,  —  supposing 
that  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  should  authorize  a  loan  of 

o 

$5,000,000  to  the  United  States,  —  would  the  banks  lend  that  amount 
to  this  Commonwealth?  They  have  already  offered  it  more  than 
$6,000,000.  Will  you  confer  on  this  subject  with  the  gentlemen 
upon  State  Street?  I  should  like  to  see  you,  and  any  others  who  will 
take  an  interest  in  this  subject,  at  your  first  convenience." 

This  brings  the  correspondence  of  the  Governor  to  the  day 
when  orders  were  issued  by  the  War  Department,  that  no  more 
three  months'  regiments  would  be  accepted.  On  the  3d  of 


132  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLION. 

May,  1861,  the  President  called  for  thirty-nine  regiments  of  in 
fantry  and  one  regiment  of  cavalry,  to  serve  for  three  years,  or 
during  the  war,  making  an  aggregate  of  officers  and  enlisted 
men  of  42,034  volunteers.  On  the  4th  of  May,  General  Order 
No.  15  was  issued  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  which  directions 
were  given  respecting  the  organization  of  the  volunteers,  but 
nothing  was  said  regarding  the  number  of  regiments  which  each 
State  was  to  furnish ;  and  it  was  not  until  the  22d  of  May, 
eighteen  days  after  the  call  had  been  made,  that  the  quota  which 
Massachusetts  was  to  furnish  was  received  from  Washington. 
During  this  interval,  companies  in  all  parts  of  the  State  were 
offering  their  services,  and  pressing  to  be  accepted.  These  com 
panies  comprised  in  the  aggregate  at  least  10,000  effective  men. 
After  much  solicitation  on  the  part  of  the  Governor,  by  letter, 
telegram,  and  gentlemen  appointed  by  him  to  visit  Washington, 
leave  was  given  to  furnish  six  regiments  of  infantry.  But,  before 
entering  upon  a  narration  of  the  three  years'  regiments,  other 
matters  claim  attention. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  valuable  services 
rendered  by  John  M.  Forbes  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  His 
labors  ceased  only  with  the  war.  In  a  letter  of  recent  date, 
written  by  Mr.  Forbes,  he  says  :  — 

"  When  the  war  fairly  broke  out,  on  the  Monday  after  Fort  Sumter 
fell,  14th  or  15th  of  April,  I  first  remember  taking  part  in  the  trans 
port  question.  In  common  with  all  Massachusetts,  I  then  offered  my 
services  to  the  Governor,  and  was  authorized  to  make  preliminary 
arrangements  for  securing  transportation.  I  accordingly  got  posted 
up,  with  the  help  of  George  B.  Upton,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  and  Colonel 
Borden,  of  Fall  River,  as  to  the  available  steamers  at  both  places,  and 
was  accordingly  prepared  to  act,  when,  about  five,  P.M.,  of  Tuesday,  the 
16th  [?]  of  April,  Colonel  Harry  Lee,  of  His  Excellency's  staff, 
conveyed  to  me  an  order  to  go  ahead  with  vessels ;  the  despatch  having 
arrived  to  start  two  regiments  for  Fortress  Monroe,  besides  those  which 
it  was  arranged  to  send  by  land.  I  remember  well  the  electric  shock 
which  this  order  gave  me.  I  felt  that  it  would  the  whole  country.  A 
north-east  storm  was  blowing ;  and  a  glance  at  the  window  was  enough 
to  enable  me  to  tell  the  colonel,  '  Too  late  for  to-night.'  But,  with  the 
help  of  the  friends  above  referred  to,  you  will  remember,  that,  the  fol 
lowing  night  (Wednesday),  we  got  off  one  regiment  by  the  '  Spaulding,' 


LETTER  OF  JOHN  M.  FORBES.  133 

one  by  the  '  State  of  Maine,'  in  company  with  the  Sixth,  which  was 
sent  by  railway  to  New  York,  Baltimore,  and  Washington.  In  this 
connection,  it  may  be  worth  while  to  recall  the  circumstances  under 
which  Governor  Andrew  disobeyed  (fortunately)  the  order  of  the  War 
Department  to  send  his  troops  to  Fortress  Monroe  via  Baltimore  by 
rail.  I  had  heard  two  months  earlier  from  S.  M.  Felton,  not  only  the 
plot  to  attack  Mr.  Lincoln  in  Baltimore,  but  also  the  plan  which  he 
had  discovered  of  burning  the  bridges  on  his  road  between  Perryville 
and  Baltimore ;  and  this  suggested  still  more  strongly  than  the  mere 
arguments  of  convenience  the  importance  of  re-enforcing  Fortress 
Monroe  by  sea.  I  accordingly  took  a  chart  of  the  coast  up  to  the 
State  House,  and  pointed  out  to  the  Governor  the  ease  and  certainty 
with  which  he  could  place  the  troops  at  the  fortress  by  water,  with  the 
additional  advantage  of  having  any  or  all  of  them  taken  directly  up  to 
Annapolis  or  Washington,  in  case  they  were  needed  for  the  defence  of 
the  capital.  The  Governor  looked  at  his  orders  from  General  Scott, 
which  were  to  send  the  whole  by  rail,  then  scrutinized  the  chart 
carefully,  and,  after  a  short  delay,  replied,  '  It's  a  clear  case ;  be  ready 
to  send  the  two  regiments  by  water.'  This  was,  I  think,  on  Monday, 
the  glorious  day  when  our  Massachusetts  men  were  rallying  from  their 
fields,  workshops,  and  homes  to  defend  the  flag.  If  you  will  take  the 
trouble  to  look  at  the  charters  of  the  '  Spaulding '  and  the  '  State  of 
Maine,'  you  will  find  a  clause  allowing  the  Governor  to  order  the  ships 
either  to  Annapolis  or  Washington ;  and  in  the  telegraphic  letter-book 
at  the  State  House  you  will  find  a  telegram,  dated,  I  think,  Wednesday, 
to  General  Scott,  informing  him  when  these  two  regiments  would  be 
due  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  also  that  the  charters  of  the  vessels  pro 
vided  for  taking  them  up  to  either  place.  This,  you  will  notice,  was 
before  the  burning  of  the  bridges  or  the  fight  of  19th  of  April  in 
Baltimore ;  and  it  is  due  to  Samuel  M.  Felton,  that  the  historian 
should  award  to  him  the  credit  of  calling  General  Butler's  attention 
to  the  Annapolis  route,  as  the  best  means  of  reaching  Washington." 

While  Mr.  Forbes,  Mr.  Upton,  and  Colonel  Borden  were 
active  in  securing  transports  to  forward  troops,  other  gentle 
men  were  interesting  themselves  with  the  subject.  William  F. 
Durfee,  of  Fall  River,  wrote  to  the  Adjutant- General,  April 
15,— 

"  Governor  Sprague,  of  Rhode  Island,  has  been  trying  to  charter 
steamers  of  Colonel  Borden,  of  Fall  River,  to  take  a  Rhode  Island 
regiment  to  Washington.  I  think  they  may  succeed  in  getting  the 


134  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

'  Empire  State.'  The  '  Metropolis  '  is  laid  up,  and  will  not  be  ready  for 
two  or  three  days.  Application  has  also  been  made  from  New  York. 
I  write  for  the  purpose  of  posting  you  in  regard  to  the  operations  of 
our  neighboring  States.  The  gentleman  stated  that  Governor  Sprague 
intended  to  have  the  Rhode-Island  troops  in  Washington  in  advance 
of  any  other  State  in  New  England  ;  and  I  have  an  ambition  to  see  the 
Massachusetts  men  there  as  soon  as  '  Little  Rhody's,'  —  sooner,  if  possi 
ble.  If  they  can  get  the  '  Empire  State,'  they  intend  to  leave  Provi 
dence  Thursday,  at  twelve  o'clock." 

The  "  Empire  State  "  was  chartered  by  Governor  Sprague,  but 
the  Rhode-Island  troops  did  not  get  to  Washington  first.  The 
following  extracts  from  letters  received  by  the  Adjutant-General 
show  in  part  the  patriotic  feeling  which  inspired  tbe  people  :  — 

April  15. — Charles  Bowers,  of  Concord,  writes,  "Believing 
most  fervently  in  tbe  doctrine  vindicated  at  '  the  Old  North 
Bridge'  in  1775,  that  resistance  to  tyrants  is  obedience  to 
God,  in  this  hour  of  our  country's  peril  I  offer  my  poor  services 
in  her  defence.  If  you  can  assign  me  to  any  position,  however 
humble,  where  I  can  do  any  thing  for  freedom  and  the  right, 
I  will  hasten  to  the  post  in  your  command."  The  writer  went 
out  lieutenant  in  the  Concord  company  attached  to  the  Fifth 
Regiments.  He  was  afterwards  captain  in  the  Thirty-second 
Regiment,  and  served  through  the  war.  Rev.  B.  F.  De  Costa 
writes,  "I  hereby  tender  my  services  as  chaplain  for  any  of 
the  forces  now  called  into  service  by  the  State.  I  should  be 
glad  to  accompany  any  regiment  to  the  capital  or  elsewhere, 
and  cheerfully  endure  with  them  the  hardships  of  the  campaign." 
Mr.  De  Costa  was  appointed  and  commissioned  chaplain  of  the 
Fifth  Regiment.  A.  A.  Marsh,  of  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  telegraphs, 
"  I  wish  you  would  let  me  know  if  you  can  buy  ten  six-pounder 
rifled  field-pieces  ready  for  use,  and  at  what  price,  and  when 
we  can  get  them.  We  want  them  for  use  here,  for  the  protec 
tion  of  this  city.  Telegraph  the  price."  General  George  H. 
Dcvcrcux,  of  Salem,  writes,  "I  earnestly  hope  that  the  General 
Government  will  go  into  this  contest  with  the  olive  branch 
frankly  and  cordially  displayed  in  one  hand,  offering  every 
reasonable  opportunity  to  avoid  the  dreadful  alternative  of  a 
civil  war  with  our  own  countrymen.  But,  if  war  must  come, 


PATRIOTIC    OFFERS    OF    SERVICES.  135 

all  sound  policy  and  even  humanity  requires  that  it  be  vigorously 
sustained,  and  that  we  show  ourselves  capable  of  maintaining 
the  honor,  dignity,  and  safety  of  our  country."  General 
Devereux  had  three  sons  officers  in  the  war,  one  of  whom 
was  brevetted  a  general. 

April  16.  —  General  Nettleton,  of  Chicopee,  writes,  "  I  hereby 
tender  to  His  Excellency  the  Governor,  and  through  him  to  the 
President,  my  personal  services  to  any  appointed  post  in  the 
gift  of  either.  I  cannot,  by  reason  of  age,  be  admitted  to 
the  ranks  by  enlistment;  yet  I  am  hearty  and  hale,  and  not 
older  than  my  grandsire  was  when  following  the  lead  of  Wash 
ington."  General  Nettleton's  son  raised  a  company  for  the 
Thirtieth  Kegiment,  of  which  he  went  out  captain,  and  came 
home  colonel  of  the  regiment. 

April  17. — Edward  Kinsley,  of  Cambridge,  writes,  "The 
patriotic  ladies  of  Cambridge  are  making  bandages  and  pre 
paring  lint  for  our  troops  who  have  been  ordered  out  of  the 
State.  A  box  will  be  ready  to-morrow  morning.  Please  tell  the 
bearer  where  you  will  have  it  sent."  Colonel  Borden,  of  Fall 
River,  writes,  "  The  '  Empire  State  '  will  be  let  at  a  thousand  dol 
lars  a  day;  the  '  State  of  Maine,'  for  eight  hundred."  George 
B.  Upton,  of  Boston,  writes  that  he  had  made  a  "contract  with 
the  agents  of  the  '  S.  R.  Spaulding '  to  take  troops  to  Fortress 
Monroe  at  twelve  dollars  each.  The  vessel  will  be  ready  in 
eight  hours  after  notice  is  received." 

April  18. — E.  C.  Peirce,  of  Weymouth,  writes,  "If  the 
services  of  an  active  horse  and  rider  as  courier  are  required  for 
any  distance,  great  or  small,  let  me  know."  Daniel  Denny,  of 
Boston,  writes,  "I  have  three  spacious  lofts,  No.  142,  Fulton 
Street,  quite  light  and  airy,  which  I  freely  offer  for  the  use  of 
the  military.  Being  considerably  more  than  forty-five  years  old, 
1  fear  my  personal  services  would  not  be  accepted  if  offered." 
Captain  Peard,  of  Milford,  writes,  "I  offer  my  company,  the 
'  Davis  Guards,'  all  of  whom  are  adopted  citizens,  for  the  ser 
vice."  This  company  was  accepted,  and  formed  part  of  the 
Ninth  Regiment,  of  which  Captain  Peard  was  commissioned 
major.  He  died  in  the  service. 

The  following  letter  is  from  one  of  the  most  noble  and  highly 


136  MASSACHUSETTS   IN   THE   REBELLION. 

cultivated  men  whom  Massachusetts  sent  to  the  war,  and  who 
sacrificed  his  life  for  the  cause :  — 

MONUMENT  SQUARE,  CHARLESTOWN,  April  19,  1861. 
ADJUTANT-GENERAL  SCHOULER,  —  We  are  at  that  point  where 
every  man  who  can  devote  himself  to  his  country's  service  should  come 
forward.  I  beg  that  you  would  put  on  file  this  my  application  for  any 
position  in  the  medical  service  of  the  Commonwealth  in  which  I  could 
be  useful.  I  am  aware  of  the  law  under  which  surgeons  are  ap 
pointed,  and  of  course  understand  that  you  have  no  direct  control  of 
this  matter.  But  there  may  be  exigencies  from  deaths,  resignations, 
unusual  demands,  or  unforeseen  circumstances,  when  you  may  be  called 
upon  to  advise  or  suggest.  If  such  a  call  is  made,  be  pleased  to 
remember  this  application  of  your  old  personal  and  political  friend.  I 
may  be  allowed  to  say,  should  this  communication  ever  be  brought  up 
for  consideration,  that,  while  I  am  known  mainly  in  another  specialty, 
I  was  educated  in  the  New- York  hospitals  for  a  surgeon  ;  and  for  some 
years,  in  a  wide  field,  I  was  much  engaged  in  that  capacity.  Inquiry 
in  New  Hampshire  would  show,  that  there  are  but  few  of  the  greater 
operations  of  surgery  which  I  have  not  performed.  I  am  a  little  above 
fifty ;  in  health  so  good  as  not  to  have  been  confined  to  my  house  a 
day  in  the  past  three  years ;  and,  entirely  removed  from  all  cares  by 
easy  personal  circumstances,  of  course  am  ready  at  the  shortest  notice 
for  any  duty.  As  this  application  is  for  use,  not  show,  may  I  beg  of 
you,  that  it  may  not  reach  the  press,  which,  in  its  avidity  for  para 
graphs,  might  be  ready  to  put  me  unnecessarily  before  the  public  ? 

Truly  yours,  LUTHER  V.  BELL. 

Dr.  Bell's  offer  was  accepted.  He  was  appointed  surgeon  of 
the  Eleventh  Regiment  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  was  commis 
sioned  June  13,  1861,  and  immediately  entered  upon  his  duties. 
His  family  was  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  distinguished  in  New- 
Hampshire  ;  his  father,  John  Bell,  having  been  Governor  of  the 
State  and  a  member  of  the  United-States  Senate.  Dr.  Bell  for 
many  years  had  charge  of  the  McLean  Asylum  for  the  Insane, 
in  Sornerville,  and  was  at  the  head  of  his  profession  in  that 
branch  of  medical  science.  His  figure  was  tall  and  command 
ing  ;  his  face  was  eminently  handsome  and  pleasant.  On  the 
3d  of  August,  1861,  while  with  his  regiment  at  the  front,  he 
was  appointed  brigade-surgeon  by  President  Lincoln,  and  was 
placed  on  the  staff  of  General  Joseph  Hooker.  About  four 


PATRIOTIC    OFFERS    OF    SERVICES.  137 

o'clock,  on  the  wintry  morning  of  February  5,  under  his  canvas 
shelter  at  Camp  Baker,  two  miles  from  Budd's  Ferry,  on  the 
Potomac,  Dr.  Bell  was  taken  suddenly  ill ;  and  about  nine 
o'clock,  on  the  evening  of  the  llth,  he  passed  peacefully  away 
for  ever.  We  shall  have  occasion  to  refer  again  to  this  distin 
guished  person  in  the  next  chapter. 

April  19.  —  General  John  S.  Tyler,  commanding  the  "An 
cient  and  Honorable  Artillery  Company,"  "tenders,  by  vote  of 
the  corps,  their  services  for  coast  defence."  The  Massachusetts 
Bible  Society  "  offers  a  supply  of  Bibles  and  Testaments  for  the 
soldiers." 

April  21. — Mrs.  Julia  K.  Seavy,  Jamaica  Plain,  writes, 
"  I  am  anxious  to  contribute  in  some  way  to  the  comfort  of  our 
brave  volunteers.  Would  twenty  flannel  shirts  be  acceptable? 
If  so,  I  will  have  them  made  and  forwarded  to  you  for  distribu 
tion.  Our  country,  right  or  wrong." 

April  23. —  Edward  Greenmon,  or  Greenmast,  of  Mendon, 
writes,  "Will  you  accept  the  service  of  a  Dartmoor  prisoner  in 
the  war  of  1812,  and  near  seven  years  on  board  of  a  British 
ship-of-war?  Impressed  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  when  the 
war  was  declared,  I  was  most  cruelly  flogged  and  threatened  to 
be  hung,  because  I  would  not  fight  against  my  country.  I  am 
ready  now  to  fight  the  traitors  of  my  country,  and  battle  for 
freedom."  Edward  S.  Waters,  of  Salem,  suggests  "  the  organi 
zation  of  an  engineer  corps,  to  repair  the  bridges  between 
Philadelphia  and  Washington."  George  Gregg,  of  Boston, 
informs  the  Adjutant-General,  that  "certain  British  sub 
jects  in  Boston  and  vicinity  have  formed  themselves  into  a  rifle 
company,  and  offer  their  services  for  duty  anywhere  within 
thirty  miles  of  Boston,  to  be  drilled,  armed,  and  clothed  at 
private  expense." 

April  27.  —  Colonel  Newell  A.  Thompson,  of  Boston,  re 
ports,  "  Have  fulfilled  the  duty  for  which  I  have  been  detailed, — 
to  remove  certain  arms  and  ammunition  from  the  United-btates 
Arsenal  at  Watertown,  to  the  State  Arsenal  at  Cambridge." 
Rev.  George  D.  Wilde,  of  Salem,  sends  a  roll  of  forty  men  for 
"field-hospital  corps,  to  be  sent  to  the  front;  and  each  pledges 
himself  to  submit  to  all  the  requirements  of  military  life." 


138  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

April  28.  —  James  L.  Merrill,  of  Athol,  volunteers  him 
self  and  three  "  of  my  seven  sons,  with  eight  or  ten  other  good, 
faithful,  and  temperate  men,  to  go  to  the  front,  and  act  as  scouts, 
to  be  armed  with  rifles  and  side-arms."  John  Waters,  of  West 
Sutton,  writes,  "I  and  several  citizens  of  this  town,  being  well 
acquainted  with  the  use  of  the  rifle,  are  anxious  to  form  a 
company  of  sharpshooters."  Captain  Kand,  First  Regiment  of 
Infantry,  writes,  "  At  a  meeting  of  my  company,  held  last  even 
ing,  it  was  unanimously  voted  to  adopt  the  following  as  a  com 
pany  name,  '  Schouler  Volunteers,'  with  many  thanks  to  you 
for  your  numerous  kindnesses."  This  company  wras  Company 
I,  First  Regiment  Massachusetts  Volunteers.  Captain  Rand 
was  killed  at  Chancellorsville.  Captain  Peirson,  of  Byfield, 
"  volunteers  his  whole  command  (Company  B,  First  Battalion 
of  Rifles)  for  the  war." 

May  1.  — Samuel  Fowler,  of  Westfield,  writes,  "This  town 
has  appropriated  ten  thousand  dollars  for  the  equipment  and 
outfit  of  a  company  of  volunteers,  and  to  drill  them  until  called 
for.  God  save  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts." 

Richard  H.  Dana,  Jr.,  of  Cambridge,  writes, — 

"  The  topi  I  left  with  you  yesterday  is  the  result  of  fifty  years'  expe 
rience  of  the  British  in  the  East.  It  is  now  universally  used  by  the 
British  military  in  India,  China,  and  Indian  Islands.  I  wore  that  topi 
in  China,  India,  and  Egypt  some  six  months,  including  June,  July,  and 
August.  It  is  the  best  thing  possible.  It  gives  air  between  the  head  and 
the  outer  case  all  round.  This  is  the  best  safeguard  against  sunstroke 
or  congestion.  It  is  a  mistake  to  wear  any  thing  thin  or  light  like 
straw.  The  desiderata  are  (1)  a  thick  wall  between  the  head  and  the 
sun's  rays,  and  (2)  air  between  the  wall  and  the  head.  The  weight 
on  the  head,  when  adjusted  around  the  side,  and  not  on  the  top,  is  of 
little  consequence,  as  all  men  experienced  in  Eastern  life  and  travel 
will  tell  you.  The  rim  to  this  protects  the  eyes,  and  back  of  the  head 
and  neck.  In  the  East,  the  back  of  the  head  and  back  of  the  neck 
are  considered  specially  sensitive  to  the  sun.  The  topi  may  be  made 
either  of  felt  (as  mine  is)  or  of  pith.  I  prefer  the  felt." 

The  topi  spoken  of  was  a  most  excellent  protection  to  the 
head  from  the  heat  of  the  sun,  but  was  never  adopted,  either 
by  the  State  or  the  Federal  authorities. 


AGENTS    SENT   TO    WASHINGTON.  139 

May  6.  — President  Felton,  of  Harvard  University,  informs 
the  Adjutant-General  that  "between  three  and  four  hundred 
students  have  entered  their  names  for  a  drill-club  ;  and  between 
one  and  two  hundred  have  brought  their  fathers'  certificates, 
that  they  consent  to  the  watch.  In  a  day  or  two,  I  shall  proba 
bly  be  able  to  furnish  you  a  complete  list  of  both."  The 
"  watch  "  here  spoken  of  was  in  reference  to  a  guard  of  students 
to  watch  the  State  Arsenal  at  Cambridge. 

May  10.  —  Colonel  Newell  A.  Thompson  presented  "  a  roll 
of  one  hundred  past  members  of  the  'Boston  City  Guards,' who 
have  voluntarily  placed  themselves  under  my  command,  and 
authorized  me  to  tender  their  services  as  a  Home  Guard." 

The  foregoing  extracts,  from  letters  received  by  the  Adjutant- 
General  in  the  first  days  of  the  war,  serve  to  show  in  a  degree 
the  patriotic  spirit  of  the  people.  They  are  selected  from  a 
great  mass  of  letters  received  by  him  in  those  early  days  of  the 
war  ;  all  of  which  bear  more  or  less  on  the  same  subject,  and  are 
imbued  with  the  same  spirit  and  determination. 

From  the  time  the  three  months'  troops  left  the  State  until  a 
call  was  made  for  three  years'  volunteers,  May  3,  communica 
tion  with  the  departments  at  Washington  was  dilatory  and  un 
satisfactory  ;  which  caused  the  Governor  to  request  Ex-Governor 
Boutwell,  Attorney-General  Foster,  Judge  Hoar,  and  William 
L.  Burt  to  go  forward,  and  endeavor  to  keep  up  a  line  of  com 
munication  with  him.  This  will  explain  some  of  the  letters  and 
telegrams  given  in  preceding  pages.  One  great  point  to  be 
gained  was  authority  from  the  War  Department  to  garrison  and 
man  the  forts  in  Boston  Harbor,  the  defenceless  condition  of 
which  exposed  the  city  to  attack,  and  caused  much  uneasiness 
among  the  merchants,  underwriters,  and  other  citizens  of  Bos 
ton.  After  the  attack  upon  the  Sixth  Regiment  in  Baltimore,  on 
the  19th  of  April,  inquiry  was  made  by  the  Governor  in  regard 
to  establishing  hospital  accommodations  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
who  may  return  to  the  State.  The  matter  was  referred  to 
Dr.  William  J.  Dale,  who,  on  the  21st  of  April,  reported,  "I 
have  conversed  with  Mr.  Rogers,  chairman  of  the  Trustees 
of  the  Massachusetts  General  Hospital,  and  the  institution 
will  be  open  for  soldiers  in  the  service  ;  and,  at  short  notice, 


140  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

they  can  put  up  a  large  temporary  building  in  the  hospital 
yard  for  the  accommodation  of  the  sick  and  wounded."  This 
excellent  institution,  during  the  whole  war,  gave  all  the  accom 
modation  and  assistance  within  its  power  to  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers. 

Ex-Governor  Boutwell  left  Boston  for  Washington  on  the 
23d  of  April.  In  New  York,  he  had  an  interview  with  Major- 
General  Wool,  commanding  the  Department  of  the  East,  and 
with  Vice-President  Hamlin,  whom  he  met  there.  On  the  24th 
he  wrote  to  the  Governor,  "  General  Wool  and  Vice-President 
Hamlin  are  in  favor  of  your  taking  the  responsibility  of  sending 
two  regiments  to  take  charge  of  the  forts,  and  to  furnish  and 
arm  three  vessels  for  the  protection  of  the  coast.  You  can 
exercise  the  power,  under  the  circumstances,  better  than  any  one 
else."  On  the  same  day  on  which  this  letter  was  written,  an 
order  passed  the  Executive  Council,  that  the  Governor  send  a 
force  of  militia  to  garrison  the  forts,  and  one  company  to  each 
of  the  arsenals  at  Cambridge  and  Watertown,  the  whole  not 
to  exceed  seven  hundred  men ;  the  Adjutant-General  to  furnish 
subsistence,  and  the  Quartermaster-General  transportation.  On 
the  same  day,  Mr.  Boutwell  telegraphed  from  New  York  to 
Governor  Andrew,  "  Send  without  delay  a  steamer,  with  pro 
visions,  for  General  Butler's  command  at  Annapolis.  She 
must  be  armed.  Mr.  Burt  returns  by  eleven-o'clock  train  with 
orders  from  General  Wool." 

On-the  25th  of  April,  Mr.  Crowninshield,  who  was  in  New 
York  to  take  the  steamer  for  Europe  to  purchase  arms,  writes 
to  the  Governor,  "  I  am  detained  till  this  forenoon  for  despatches 
from  the  British  minister.  I  learn  that  he  has  telegraphed  to 
Halifax  for  a  fleet  to  go  to  Washington  to  protect  him  and 
save  the  archives  of  their  Government.  I  believe  it." 

Before  leaving  New  York,  Mr.  Boutwell  succeeded  in  obtain 
ing  an  order  from  General  Wool  upon  the  ordnance  officer  at 
the  United-States  Arsenal  at  Watertown,  for  four  thousand  stand 
of  arms.  These  arms  were  what  were  known  as  the  "  Windsor 
rifle,"  and  had  the  sword  bayonet.  Upon  the  receipt  of  Mr. 
BcflitwelPs  telegram  to  forward  provisions  to  General  Butler  at 
Annapolis  by  armed  steamer,  Governor  Andrew  consulted  John 


LETTER  OF  MR.  FORBES  TO  THE  GOVERNOR.     141 

M.  Forbes,  and  put  the  matter  in  his  charge.  On  the  after 
noon  of  the  same  day,  he  addressed  the  following  letter  to 
Governor  Andrew  :  — 

BOSTON,  April  25,  1861. 
To  His  Excellency  Governor  ANDREW. 

SIR,  —  Having  reference  to  the  letter  of  Hon.  George  S.  Boutwell, 
I  beg  leave  to  say,  that,  after  you  showed  it  me  this  morning,  I  found 
that  the  only  really  suitable  vessel  in  port  for  the  purpose  indicated 
was  on  the  point  of  being  sold  for  $75.000.  Just  before  the  war,  her 
owners  asked  $70,000  for  her,  which  I  thought  a  little  too  high.  Under 
the  circumstances,  however,  she  seemed  to  me  cheap ;  and  I  took  the 
responsibility  of  buying  her,  intending  to  offer  her  to  you  or  to  the 
General  Government. 

I  have  since  applied  to  the  underwriters  and  merchants  to  take  and 
own  half  of  the  ship,  if  the  State  will  take  the  other  half,  with  the 
understanding  that  she  is  to  be  managed  as  an  armed  transport,  used 
to  convey  troops  and  stores,  at  the  prices  current  for  other  transports ; 
and,  when  not  so  used,  to  act  as  coast-guard  or  despatch  vessel,  under 
the  management  of  a  Government  agent  or  agents. 

It  is  hoped,  upon  this  basis,  to  make  her  pay  her  way,  with  little  or 
no  loss,  besides  doing  good  service,  and  keeping  up  the  confidence  of 
our  citizens  and  the  fears  of  our  enemies. 

If  you  approve  the  plan,  I  should  like  to  have  you  own  such  part 
of  her  as  I  cannot  get  readily  taken  by  the  underwriters ;  also,  propor 
tion  of  her  outfit,  which  I  estimate  at  under  $10,000. 

She  can  at  once  load  coal  and  the  stores  ordered,  get  on  board  the 
guns,  which  the  Navy  Yard  will  lend  us  temporarily,  and  be  ready  for 
troops  or  other  service. 

I  have  inquired  also  about  other  vessels.  The  only  suitable  pro 
peller  is  a  small  vessel  of  about  three  hundred  tons,  nearly  new, 
due  here  to-night,  which  can  be  bought  for  a  trifle  under  $30,000. 
She  would  make  a  good  temporary  gunboat ;  could  carry  her  crew,  a 
good  load  of  stores  upon  a  pinch,  and  a  few  troops,  not  many. 

If  you  are  disposed  to  have  another  vessel,  she  is  the  most  available, 
and  is  not  dear.  I  think,  if  you  wish  it,  the  merchants  and  under 
writers  would  take  part  of  her,  —  probably  half.  She  would  be  well 
adapted  to  the  coast-guard  now  being  raised. 

In  addition  to  these,  I  have  found  a  side- wheel  ship  of  about  one 
thousand  tons,  older  than  the  others,  and  having  the  single  advantage  of 
light  draught  of  water,  —  a  good  serviceable  ship.  She  can  be  bought 
on  reasonable  terms  to-day,  —  not  cheap,  not  very  dear,  —  but,  in  my 


142  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

opinion,  not  so  desirable  as  either  of  the  others,  unless   some   new 
arrangement  arises. 

I  should  strongly  recommend  some  prompt  action  as  to  the  first  two 
vessels,  if  you  knew  the  emergency  as  I  do,  and  are  willing  to  take 
the  responsibility. 

The  money  for  the  "  Cambridge  "  ought  to  be  appropriated  immedi 
ately,  and  orders  given  as  to  the  name  in  which  she  shall  stand  regis 
tered, —  perhaps  two  trustees,  one  to  represent  the  State,  and*  one  the 
individual  subscribers. 

With  much  respect,  your  obedient  servant,  J.  M.  FORBES. 

N.B.  —  I  do  not  think  the  merchants  ready,  at  this  moment,  to 
share  in  the  third  vessel,  —  the  side-wheel  steamer. 

On  the  same  day,  the  letter  was  referred  by  the  Governor  to 
a  committee  of  the  Executive  Council,  who  reported  that  "the 
Committee  authorize  the  Governor  to  procure,  on  the  basis  of 
the  letter,  two  steam-vessels,  the  State  to  take  one  half  and  the 
under  writers  the  other,  to  be  managed  as  armed  transports  to 
convey  troops  and  stores,  and,  when  not  so  used,  as  a  coast 
guard  or  despatch  vessels."  These  vessels  were  immediately 
purchased, — the  "Cambridge"  at  a  cost  of  $75,000,  and  the 
"  Pembroke  "  at  $30,000.  The  outfit  of  the  "  Cambridge  "  cost 
$10,000.  The  Council  also  ordered,  "that  the  Governor,  with 
the  advice  of  the  Council,  employ  John  M.  Forbes,  Esq.,  to 
procure  proper  rations  for  the  supply  of  four  thousand  men  in 
service  for  thirty  days,  to  be  furnished  immediately." 

Mr.  Boutwell  arrived  at  Washington  on  the  28th  of  April, 
and,  on  the  evening  of  that  day,  wrote  the  following  interesting 
letter  to  Governor  Andrew,  which  was  the  first  satisfactory 
communication  he  had  received  from  Washington  since  the  regi 
ments  had  left  the  State  :  — 

WASHINGTON,  April  28,  1861. 
To  His  Excellency  Governor  ANDREW. 

Sm,  —  I  arrived  in  Washington  to-day,  after  a  journey  of  forty- 
eight  hours  from  Philadelphia  by  Annapolis.  There  have  been  no 
mails  from  the  North  for  a  week ;  and  you  may  easily  understand,  that 
the  mighty  public  sentiment  of  the  Free  States  is  not  yet  fully  appre 
ciated  here. 

The  President  and  Cabinet  are  gaining  confidence ;  and  the  measures 
of  the  Administration  will  no  longer  be  limited  to  the  defence  of  the 


MR.    BOTJTWELL    WRITES    FROM    WASHINGTON.  143 

capital.  Secretary  Welles  has  already  sent  orders  to  Captain  Hudson 
to  purchase  six  steamers,  with  instructions  to  consult  you  in  regard  to 
the  matter.  I  regret  that  the  Secretary  was  not  ready  to  put  the 
matter  into  the  hands  of  commissioners,  who  would  have  acted  effi 
ciently  and  promptly. 

Mr.  Welles  will  accept,  as  part  of  the  quota,  such  vessels  as  may 
have  been  purchased  by  Mr.  Forbes. 

Senator  Grimes,  of  Iowa,  will  probably  give  Mr.  Crowninshield  an 
order  for  arms.  The  United-States  Government  may  do  the  same ; 
but  no  definite  action  has  yet  been  taken. 

Martial  law  will  be  proclaimed  here  to-morrow.  Colonel  Mansfield 
will  be  appointed  general,  and  assigned  to  this  district.  He  is  one  of 
the  most  efficient  officers  in  the  country. 

Baltimore  is  to  be  closed  in  from  Havre-de- Grace,  from  the  Relay 
House,  from  the  Carlisle  line,  and  by  an  efficient  naval  force.  She 
will  be  reduced  to  unconditional  submission.  The  passage  of  the 
troops  through  Maryland  has  had  a  great  moral  effect.  The  people 
are  changing  rapidly  in  the  country  places.  Many  instances  of  a 
popular  revolution,  in  towns  through  which  troops  have  passed  or  been 
stationed,  have  come  to  my  knowledge.  I  came  to  Washington  with 
the  Twelfth  New- York  Regiment ;  and  from  Annapolis  Junction  there 
were  cheers  from  three-fourths  of  the  houses  by  the  wayside. 

Every  thing  appears  well  at  Annapolis,  where  General  Butler  com 
mands  in  person.  There  is  a  large  body  of  troops,  the  people  are 
gradually  gaining  confidence  in  the  army  and  the  Government,  and  the 
regulations  seem  to  be  effective.  General  Butler  is  popular  with  the 
officers  whom  I  met.  He  has  taken  command  of  the  highlands  that 
command  the  town  and  the  encampment.  All  sorts  of  rumors  are 
spread  among  the  troops  concerning  an  attack  upon  the  Annapolis 
Station  ;  but  the  place  can  be  defended  under  any  conceivable  circum 
stances.  I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  every  thing  is  in  confusion  at  Annap 
olis  Junction  ;  and  a  moderate  force  might,  in  a  single  night,  break  off 
the  connection  of  this  city  with  the  North.  It  is  at  present  a  military 
station  without  a  permanent  head.  Each  colonel,  as  he  moves  towards 
Washington,  commands  for  twelve  or  twenty-four  hours.  My  own 
belief,  however,  is,  that  Maryland  will  never  see  two  thousand  men 
together  as  a  military  organization  in  opposition  to  the  Government. 

I  presume  that  your  Excellency  has  means  of  obtaining  information 
concerning  the  condition  of  Massachusetts  men,  morally  and  physically ; 
but,  as  I  am  here,  I  shall  try  to  obtain  and  transmit  any  information 
that  seems  important.  I  may  say  now,  that  the  Eighth  Regiment  is 
quartered  in  the  rotunda  of  the  Capitol ;  and  a  military  man,  not  of 


144  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Massachusetts,  says,  that  they  are  already  suffering  from  the  cold  and 
dampness  of  the  place.     He  advises  tents  and  out-door  encampment. 

I  repeat  what  is  every  hour  said  in  my  hearing,  that  Massachusetts 
has  taken  her  place  at  the  head  of  the  column  in  support  of  the  Gov 
ernment  ;  and  our  regiments  are  everywhere  esteemed  as  noble  exam 
ples  of  citizen-soldiers.  I,  for  one,  feel  anxious  that  every  thing  that 
is  proper  should  be  done. 

I  have  written  this  communication  in  great  haste ;  and  I  have  only 
time  to  subscribe  myself  your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  S.  BOUTWELL. 

On  the  30th  of  April,  Governor  Andrew  received  from 
Attorney-General  Foster  a  telegram  from  Washington,  saying, 
"Arrived  last  night.  All  well  at  Annapolis  and  here."  Mr. 
Foster  had  followed  on  the  heels  of  Mr.  Boutwell.  While  at 
New  York,  on  his  way  to  Washington,  he  wrote  to  Governor 
Andrew  as  follows  :  — 

NEW  YORK,  April  27,  1861. 

I  have  spent  to-day  in  trying  to  find  the  utmost  known  in  this  city  ; 
but  there  is  no  reliable  intelligence  not  known  to  you.  New  York 
has  sent  up  to  this  time  five  thousand  four  hundred  troops,  and  by 
Tuesday  next  will  send  four  thousand  more. 

Three  regiments  from  Connecticut  are  nearly  ready,  —  two  thou 
sand  four  hundred.  New  Jersey  claims  to  have  four  regiments  nearly 
ready,  —  three  thousand  two  hundred.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  it 
seems  to  be  the  strong  desire  of  every  one  here,  that  more  men  should 
go  from  Massachusetts,  without  waiting  for  a  requisition.  General 
Wool  says,  if  you  telegraph  to  him  whether  you  shall  send  two  more 
regiments,  he  will  answer,  "  Yes."  I  have  seen  him,  and  he  appears 
well,  but  very  much  overworked  and  worn  out.  For  the  occasion,  the 
committee  of  merchants  are  working  very  hard,  and  comprise  many 
of  their  best  men.  I  did  not  feel  it  was  a  sufficiently  clear  case  in 
favor  of  sending  more  men  to  telegraph  to  that  effect.  But  I  would 
do  it  unless  you  get  later  advices  adverse.  The  present  feeling 
here  is,  that  Washington  is  safe,  but  that  more  troops  are  greatly 
needed  ;  and  the  universal  cry  is,  that  the  Government  is  far  behind 
the  people.  I  am  going  to  Washington  to-night  via  Annapolis,  and 
no  doubt  shall  find  the  way  open  and  safe.  There  are  a  number  of 
bills  here  for  transportation  by  steamer,  and  for  subsistence  furnished 
our  men  ;  and  I  am  very  confident,  that  a  faithful,  sensible  man,  with 
a  small  office  in  this  city,  to  act  as  agent  for  Massachusetts,  and  to 
whom  alone  you  should  refer  all  bills,  &c.,  would  save  a  great  deal  of 


STATE    OF   FEELING    IN    THE    CABINET.  145 

money  and  time.  There  will  be  men  going  and  returning,  and  a  great 
variety  of  wants,  large  and  small,  until  the  end  is  reached ;  and  we 
shall  have  undesirable  men  claiming  to  represent  the  State,  and  inter 
meddling  in  many  ways,  unless  there  is  some  one  agent  on  the  spot  all 
the  time. 

The  praise  of  the  Old  Bay  State  is  in  every  mouth ;  and  the  repeti 
tion  of  the  half  said  of  her  Governor  to  you  would  be  flattery. 
Very  respectfully  and  truly  yours, 

DWIGHT  FOSTER. 

Mr.  Boutwell  remained  in  Washington  until  the  1st  of  May, 
when  he  left  for  Boston.  At  Perry ville,  he  telegraphed  to 
"Mr.  Forbes  &  Co., — Two  lots  of  stocks  additional  ordered 
by  Cabot."  This  was  in  the  cipher  arranged  by  Mr.  Forbes, 
and  meant,  "Two  regiments  of  troops  additional  ordered  by 
Cameron."  Mr.  Boutwell  arrived  at  New  York  on  the  2d  of 
May,  and  wrote  to  Governor  Andrew  that  evening  :  — 

I  arrived  here  this  afternoon,  and  I  hope  to  report  to  you  in  person 
Saturday.  I  had  free  conversation  with  the  President,  General  Scott, 
Mr.  Seward,  Mr.  Chase,  General  Cameron,  and  Mr.  Blair,  upon  public 
affairs.  The  impression  I  received  from  all,  except  perhaps  Mr.  Sew 
ard,  was  favorable  to  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war.  Mr.  Seward 
repeated  his  words  of  December  and  February,  "  The  crisis  is  over." 
It  is,  however,  understood  at  Washington,  that  Mr.  Seward  favors  vigor 
ous  measures.  Mr.  Chase  says,  that  the  policy  of  the  Administration  is 
vigorous  and  comprehensive,  as  sure  to  succeed  in  controlling  the 
Rebellion,  and  preserving  the  whole  territory  of  the  Union.  I  will 
only  say  now,  that  I  left  Washington  with  a  more  favorable  impres 
sion  of  the  policy  of  the  Government  than  I  entertained  when  I  left 
Boston. 

General  Cameron  agreed  to  authorize  Massachusetts  to  raise  two 
regiments  in  addition  to  that  of  Dwight's.  The  papers  were  all  made, 
and  only  a  Cabinet  meeting  prevented  their  completion  on  Tuesday. 
I  did  not  wish  to  remain  another  day,  and  I  left  the  papers  with  the 
chief  clerk :  and  I  also  received  the  assurance  of  Colonel  Ripley,  that 
he  would  give  personal  and  prompt  attention  to  transmitting  them  to 
Boston.  I  shall  expect  them  on  Saturday. 

Colonel  Ripley  issued  an  order  on  Tuesday  for  rifling  cannon.  Mr. 
Forbes's  letter  aided  very  much. 

I  am  very  truly  your  most  obedient  servant, 

GEORGE  S.  BOUTWELL. 
10 


146  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  "Cambridge"  had  arrived  in  Washington  from  Boston, 
with  troops  and  military  stores.  Judge  Hoar  was  in  the  city. 
There  appears  to  have  been  no  one  to  act  for  the  Government 
to  take  charge  of  the  stores,  or  to  superintend  their  distribution. 
The  following  letter  from  E.  Rockwood  Hoar,  one  of  the  jus 
tices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  to  the  Governor,  relates  to  this 
matter,  and  to  the  hardships  borne  by  the  Fifth  Regiment,  from 
the  time  it  left  Boston  until  it  arrived  in  Washington,  which,  in 
part,  were  occasioned  by  haste  and  bad  management  in  loading 
the  transports  at  New  York,  by  which  the  rations  and  the  bales 
of  blankets,  which  were  to  have  been  distributed  to  the  men, 
were  covered  with  other  merchandise,  and  could  not  be  got  at, 
so  that  the  men  suffered  for  want  of  food  and  blankets  :  — 

WASHINGTON,  May  6,  1861. 
To  His  Excellency  Governor  ANDREW. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  Mr.  Foster,  I  learn,  has  gone  with  General  Butler, 
and  cannot  be  communicated  with.  Dr.  Howe  has  not  arrived.  The 
"  Cambridge "  arrived  yesterday  afternoon.  I  have  therefore,  as  I 
wrote  to  you  yesterday,  "  taken  the  responsibility,"  which  I  trust  will 
meet  your  approbation,  as  there  is  nobody  here  to  attend  to  the  busi 
ness  ;  and,  unless  instant  attention  be  paid  to  it,  in  the  present  extreme 
confusion  of  affairs  here,  there  would  be  even  great  delay  in  getting 
their  private  packages  to  our  troops.  I  saw  the  President  this  morn 
ing  the  instant  he  left  the  breakfast  table,  presented  your  letter  to  him, 
and  explained  to  him  the  whole  business.  I  also  saw  General  Cam 
eron,  and  he  has  agreed  to  take  the  stores,  with  the  exception  of  such 
as  we  may  retain  for  hospital  use,  and  for  the  reasonable  comfort  of 
our  men,  at  the  invoice  price,  with  the  freight  added  at  the  price  you 
named.  The  President  sent  for  Mr.  Seward  ;  and  I  had  a  conference 
with  them  jointly  as  to  the  purchase  or  employment  of  the  steamers, 
and  also  with  General  Cameron.  The  strong  inclination  of  the  Gov 
ernment  is  to  purchase  rather  than  charter  vessels  ;  and  I  think  the 
arrangement  can  be  made  to  sell  them.  But  to-morrow  they  are  to 
have  a  detailed  report  of  the  number  of  vessels  already  engaged,  and 
I  am  promised  a  definite  answer  on  Wednesday. 

I  took  Senator  Wilson  with  me,  and  consulted  Colonel  Lawrence, 
the  senior  officer  in  command  of  the  Massachusetts  men,  and  Colonel 
Monroe,  and  the  quartermaster  of  the  Sixth  Regiment,  as  to  the  sup 
plies  and  stores  which  should  be  retained  for  the  hospital  service  and 
the  comfort  of  the  troops,  and  we  have  examined  the  invoice  and  made 


JUDGE    HOAR    AT    WASHINGTON.  147 

the  selection  ;  and  I  have  the  promise  that  by  one  o'clock  the  business 
shall  be  put  through  the  proper  department. 

The  Sixth  Massachusetts  Regiment  left  Washington  yesterday, 
under  General  Butler's  orders,  for  the  Relay  House,  between  Annap 
olis  Junction  and  Baltimore.  Their  future  destination  is  not  certain  ; 
but,  if  there  should  be  a  march  for  the  occupation  of  Baltimore,  it  is 
felt  that  poetical  justice  requires  that  regiment  to  have  the  first  place. 

I  have  the  honor,  further,  to  submit  a  matter  which  I  venture  to 
press  upon  your  immediate  attention. 

The  Fifth  Regiment  left  Boston,  by  their  own  choice,  partially 
equipped,  on  Sunday  morning,  April  21,  rather  than  wait  another  day 
to  have  their  equipments  completed.  They  had  to  sleep  in  Faneuil 
Hall,  in  the  confusion  and  bustle  of  the  two  preceding  nights.  They 
went  to  New  York  on  that  Sunday,  marched  the  whole  length  of  that 
city  in  the  evening,  hardly  able  to  stand  from  fatigue  and  sleeplessness. 
They  were  crowded  on  board  the  steamer,  and  sent  fresh  from  their 
country  homes  and  habits  to  the  sickness  and  misery  of  the  sea  voyage, 
with  only  the  deck  to  lie  down  on,  and  not  room  enough  for  all  to  do 
that.  They  landed  at  Annapolis  at  night,  were  kept  standing  in  line, 
waiting  for  orders,  four  or  five  hours,  and  at  eleven,  P.M.,  required  to 
march  on  foot  to  Annapolis  Junction,  twenty  miles.  Their  blankets  and 
clothing  were  done  up  into  bales  and  boxes  on  the  steamer,  and  had  only 
been  partially  landed  when  they  started.  Colonel  Lawrence  wanted  to 
wait  for  it ;  but  the  danger  and  necessity  of  their  immediate  presence  at 
the  junction  made  their  march  imperative.  He  left  forty  men  detailed 
to  take  charge  of  and  forward  the  baggage  ;  but,  after  the  regiment  had 
gone,  General  Butler  ordered  them  off  to  serve  as  a  guard  on  the  line 
of  the  railroad.  The  regiment  reached  the  Junction,  and  took  their 
first  substantial  sleep  on  the  ground,  without  shelter  or  blankets. 
Our  Concord  company  had  nothing  but  their  guns,  and  what  they  left 
home  in  and  their  ^reat-coats ;  and  a  number  had  not  even  the  coats 

O  7 

—  left  behind  at  Annapolis.  The  baggage,  left  without  charge,  got 
mixed  with  general  United-States  stores,  and  got  distributed  to  Penn 
sylvania  and  other  troops  promiscuously.  It  is  gone  past  redemption. 
Thirty  men  of  the  Concord  company  have  not  yet  got  a  blanket,  and 
sleep  on  a  hard  floor.  They  had  not  a  shirt  in  the  company  till  last 
Friday,  two  weeks  from  home,  except  those  they  wore  from  home,  nor 
a  pair  of  drawers  or  stockings  till  Saturday,  and  then  not  enough  to 
go  round.  There  is  no  complaint.  Health  generally  good,  and  spirits 
and  patriotism  as  high  and  cheerful  as  yours  or  mine,  —  the  heroes  ! 
The  United  States  have  no  blankets  here  ;  and  all  attempts  possible 
have  been  made,  here  and  at  Annapolis,  to  supply  them.  Colonel 


148  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Lawrence  is  doing,  and  has  done,  all  in  his  power,  and  is  entitled  to 
great  credit  for  his  services.  But  they  want  what  the  enclosed  list 
states,  —  instantly.  I  know  you  will  send  them  if  you  can.  If  the 
State  cannot  pay  for  them,  send  the  bill  for  the  Concord  company  to 
Concord,  and  it  shall  be  paid  as  soon  as  I  get  there.  I  will  write 
again  this  evening. 

The  commissary  says  Government  is  very  short  of  money.  Treas 
ury-notes  are  but  partially  serviceable,  because  they  are  used  to  pay 
dues  to  the  Government,  and  so  must  cut  off  revenue ;  in  fact,  substan 
tially  amount  only  to  an  anticipation  of  revenue. 

The  matter  of  the  loan,  on  which  we  addressed  you  last  week,  is 
therefore  of  the  highest  importance. 

I  learned  on  my  arrival,  that  the  orders  for  Massachusetts  regiments 
to  be  enlisted,  mustered,  and  drilled  at  Boston  had  been  forwarded. 
If  they  have  not  come  to  hand,  telegraph  me  or  Wilson,  and  duplicates 
will  be  sent. 

Faithfully  your  Excellency's  friend,  and  the  servant  of  the  com 
mittee  and  the  cause,  E.  R.  HOAR. 

With  the  following  letter  from  Judge  Hoar  to  the  Governor, 
we  close  this  part  of  the  correspondence  relating  to  matters 
connected  with  the  three  months'  troops,  and  the  disposition  of 
the  War  Department  neither  to  accept  more  troops,  purchase 
transports,  nor  to  take  charge  of  commissary  stores  which  had 
been  forwarded  by  Massachusetts  :  — 

WASHINGTON,  May  8,  1861. 
To  His  Excellency  Governor  ANDREW. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  The  "  Cambridge"  arrived  this  morning,  having  been 
detained  between  two  and  three  days  at  Fort  Monroe  to  bring  on  some 
heavy  guns  and  shells.  Dr.  Howe  arrived  this  morning,  having  been 
detained  on  the  way  by  illness. 

Mr.  Cameron  told  me  this  morning,  that  his  department  would  not 
purchase,  or  agree  to  employ,  the  steamers  ;  and,  in  answer  to  my 
urgent  representations  about  the  six  Massachusetts  regiments  for  the 
war,  said  that  none  could  be  received  at  present,  and  that  he  could 
give  no  promise  or  encouragement  for  the  future.  I  asked  Mr.  Chase 
if  he  could  help  us,  and  he  said  he  was  afraid  he  could  not,  as  he  had 
been  trying  to  get  Cameron  to  receive  ten  regiments  from  Ohio,  and 
had  succeeded  in  getting  him  to  accept  only  three. 

In  regard  to  the  steamers,  I  have  made  a  very  strong  application  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  which  I  think  has  produced  some  impres- 


OFFER    TO    FURNISH    MORE    TROOPS.  149 

sion ;  and  he  has  promised  to  have  the  naval  inspectors  examine  the 
"  Cambridge  "  to-morrow,  and  to  see  if  he  can  take  her.  I  put  the 
matter  upon  all  the  public  grounds  I  could  urge,  and  upon  the  claim 
which  our  State  has  for  consideration  from  what  she  has  done  and 
what  she  is  doing ;  and  I  am  sure  Mr.  Welles  feels  personally  friendly 
to  our  purpose.  The  "  Pembroke  "  I  do  not  believe  you  can  sell  to 
either  department,  and  think  you  had  better  put  her  freight  charge, 
and  make  your  plans  for  her  future  employment  upon  that  suppo 
sition. 

I  have  the  promise,  that  the  duplicate  orders  for  our  troops  to  be 
mustered  into  service  in  Boston  shall  be  immediately  transmitted.  I 
received  your  telegram  too  late  to  have  it  done  to-day.  I  must  leave 
Washington  to-morrow  morning,  and  shall  leave  Mr.  Lowell  in  charge 
of  the  affairs  of  the  "  Cambridge  "  until  he  is  superseded  by  some  one 
else.  I  trust  he  may  receive  express  and  direct  authority,  addressed 
to  him  personally  from  you,  or  by  your  order,  which  I  think  will  facili 
tate  his  action  and  communication  with  the  authorities. 

Dr.  Howe  prefers  he  should  go  on  with  the  business,  as  he  under 
stands  and  has  begun  it ;  and  it  requires  a  great  deal  of  running  about 
and  personal  hard  work.  I  think  it  will  be  done  to  your  satisfaction. 
The  captain  of  the  "  Cambridge  "  thoughtlessly  omitted  to  make  any 
bargain  for  the  transmission  of  the  guns  and  shells  from  Fortress  Mon 
roe,  and  that  will  make  some  trouble,  but  will  be  carefully  looked 
after.  Senator  Wilson  will  do  all  he  can  to  forward  the  sale  of  the 
vessel ;  and  he  and  Dr.  Howe  will  advise  with  Mr.  Lowell. 

Faithfully  your  Excellency's  obedient  servant,  E.  R.  HOAR. 

The  letters  of  Mr.  Boutwell  and  Judge  Hoar  describe  the 
duties  with  which  they  were  charged  by  the  Governor.  They 
were  to  consult  with  the  President  and  his  Cabinet  and  with 
General  Scott  respecting  the  exigencies  of  the  occasion,  and 
keep  up  a  communication  with  the  authorities  of  the  State. 
They  had  also  charge  of  the  provisions,  clothing,  and  munitions 
of  war,  forwarded  from  the  State  to  the  Massachusetts  soldiers. 
Judge  Hoar,  who  was  in  Washington  about  the  time  when  the 
proclamation  of  the  President  was  issued  for  regiments  of  three 
years'  volunteers,  made,  by  direction  of  the  Governor,  urgent 
efforts  to  induce  the  Government  to  accept  of  all  the  regiments 
which  Massachusetts  was  prepared  to  furnish.  On  the  8th  of 
May,  a  proposition  was  made  by  him  in  writing,  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  offering,  on  behalf  of  the  State,  to  "furnish  six  regiments 


150  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    REBELLION. 

for  three  years,  or  for  the  war,  perfectly  equipped ',  in  addition 
to  the  quota  which  Massachusetts  might  be  called  upon  to 
furnish  under  the  first  call  of  the  President ;  and,  on  the  same 
day,  it  was  refused  by  the  Secretary.  He  also,  in  co-operation 
with  Mr.  Foster,  the  Attorney-General,  and  Senator  Wilson,  by 
direction  of  the  Governor,  offered  such  aid  as  Massachusetts 
could  furnish  to  the  pecuniary  credit  of  the  Government. 

Judge  Hoar  left  Washington  on  or  about  the  15th  of  May, 
to  return  home  ;  and  his  duties  and  responsibilities  were  assumed 
by  Charles  R.  Lowell,  Jr.,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  Gov 
ernor  as  the  agent  of  Massachusetts  in  Washington.  Before 
leaving  Washington,  Judge  Hoar  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Lowell,  in  which  the  duties  he  was  expected  to  perform  were 
carefully  and  concisely  stated.  He  was  to  communicate  with  the 
departments  in  relation  to  stores  sold,  or  troops  carried  on 
the  Massachusetts  transports.  He  was  to  communicate  with  the 
officers  commanding  Massachusetts  regiments  ;  and  every  thing 
wanting  by  them  was  to  be  received  and  distributed  through 
him.  He  was  to  keep  an  account  of  his  expenses,  and  report 
as  nearly  daily  as  practicable  of  all  his  doings  to  the  Governor. 
He  was  empowered  to  buy  a  copying-press,  and  "to  employ  a 
clerk,  if  necessary."-  "The  object  of  the  whole  arrangement  is," 
says  Judge  Hoar,  "to  have  some  one  responsible,  competent 
agent,  who  will  know  all  that  is  done  and  sent  from  Massachu 
setts,  and  all  that  is  wanted  and  received  at  Washington,  or  by 
the  troops,  wherever  stationed  ;  to  take  care  of  property,  take 
vouchers,  prevent  waste,  and  to  be  the  sole  channel  of  commu 
nication  between  supply  and  demand." 

This  letter  of  Judge  Hoar  to  Mr.  Lowell  brings  up  pleasant 
and  sad  memories  of  one  of  the  best  and  bravest  of  men.  Mr. 
Lowell  was  born  in  Boston,  Jan.  2,  1835.  He  was  the  son  of 
Charles  It.  Lowell,  and  the  grandson  of  Rev.  Charles  Lowell. 
The  best  blood  of  Massachusetts  flowed  in  his  veins.  He 
graduated  at  Harvard  University  at  the  head  of  his  class  in  1853. 
When  the  Rebellion  broke  out,  he  was  in  Cumberland,  Md. 
He  had  charge  of  the  Mt.  Savage  Iron  Works  at  that  place. 
On  the  20th  of  April,  1861,  hearing  of  the  attack  upon  the  Sixth 
Regiment  in  Baltimore,  he  abandoned  his  position,  and  set  out 


MR.    LOWELL   APPOINTED    AGENT.  151 

for  Washington.  In  what  manner  he  made  the  journey  is  not 
clearly  known  ;  but  he  reached  the  capital  on  Monday,  April 
22.  On  the  24th,  he  wrote  to  his  mother,  "I  was  fortunate 
enough  to  be  in  Baltimore  last  Sunday,  and  to  be  here  at  pres 
ent.  How  Jim  and  Henry  will  envy  me  !  I  shall  come  to  see 
you  if  I  find  there  is  nothing  to  be  done  here.  So  have  the 
blue-room  ready."  Mr.  Lowell  remained  at  his  post  as  the 
agent  of  Massachusetts  in  Washington  until  the  14th  of  May, 
when  he  was  appointed  by  the  President  a  captain  in  the  Sixth 
United-States  Cavalry.  On  the  15th  of  April,  1863,  he  was 
commissioned  by  Governor  Andrew  colonel  of  the  Second  Regi 
ment  of  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  a  regiment  which  was  recruited 
by  him  in  this  State.  It  was  while  raising  and  organizing  this 

J  O  O  O 

regiment  that  we  became  acquainted  with  him.  On  the  19th 
of  October,  1864,  he  was  made  a  brigadier-general  of  volun 
teers  by  President  Lincoln.  On  the  same  day,  he  fell  from 
his  horse,  from  wounds  received  at  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek, 
and  died  on  the  day  following,  October  20.  The  writer  was  in 
Washington  when  the  battle  was  fought  in  which  Colonel  Lowell 
was  killed.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  addressed 
by  me  to  Governor  Andrew,  and  which  is  printed  in  the  Adju 
tant-General's  Eeport  for  1864  :  — 

"  On  arriving  at  my  hotel  in  Washington,  I  had  the  honor  of  an  intro 
duction  to  Brigadier-General  Custar,  of  General  Sheridan's  army.  He 
had  arrived  in  Washington  that  afternoon  (Oct.  22)  from  the  Shenan- 
doah  Valley,  having  in  his  custody  twelve  battle-flags,  which  had  been 
captured  from  the  enemy  the  Wednesday  preceding.  He  was  to  pre 
sent  them  the  next  day  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  he  was  pleased 
to  give  me  an  invitation  to  be  present.  From  him  I  first  learned  that 
Colonel  Lowell,  of  the  Second  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  had  been  killed, 
gallantly  leading  the  regiment  in  the  front  of  battle.  This  news  sad 
dened  my  heart.  Colonel  Lowell  was  my  beau  ideal  of  an  officer  and  a 
gentleman.  I  had  seen  much  of  him  while  he  was  in  Massachusetts, 
raising  and  organizing  his  regiment,  and  had  become  warmly  attached 
to  him.  He  was  one  of  our  best  and  bravest.  General  Custar  in 
formed  me  that  Colonel  Lowell  was  severely  wounded  in  the  early 
part  of  the  engagement,  and  was  advised  to  retire  to  the  rear.  He 
thought,  however,  he  could  stand  the  fatigues  of  the  day,  and  stoutly 
held  to  his  command;  in  a  few  hours  afterwards,  he  fell,  mortally 


152  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

wounded.     It  was  pleasant  to  listen  to  the  words  of  praise  which  Gen 
eral  Custar  bestowed  upon  his  fallen  comrade." 

Mr.  Lowell  was  succeeded  as  agent  for  Massachusetts  in 
Washington  by  Charles  H.  Dalton,  of  Boston,  who  was  com 
missioned  assistant  quartermaster-general,  with  the  rank  of 
colonel,  May  23,  1861.  Of  his  services  we  shall  speak  here 
after. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  Governor  Andrew  addressed  the  follow 
ing  letter  to  Dr.  Samuel  G.  Howe  :  — 

o 

EXECUTIVE  DEPARTMENT,  BOSTON,  May  2,  1861. 
To  Dr.  SAMUEL  G.  HOWE,  Boston. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  The  Massachusetts  Volunteer  Militia  now  in  the 
field  demand  and  deserve  our  anxious  care,  as  well  in  respect  to  their 
sanitary  condition  (including  their  medical  and  surgical  supplies  and 
attendance,  their  nursing  and  comfort  in  sickness),  as  also  in  respect  to 
the  departments  of  the  commissary  and  the  quartermaster. 

I  desire  to  avail  myself  of  your  experience,  and  good  judgment, 
and  energy,  to  procure  a  speedy  and  exhaustive  survey  of  the  condition, 
in  those  respects,  of  our  men  pertaining  to  General  Butler's  brigade, 
wherever  they  may  be,  and  an  early  and  minute  report  thereon. 

We  wish  to  know  what  they  have  received,  so  as  to  learn  whether 
what  we  pay  for  reaches  them,  whether  it  is  distributed,  and,  if  so, 
how  carefully  and  skilfully,  and  whether  it  is  properly  husbanded. 

I  desire  especially  also  to  ascertain  how  it  happens  that  we  hear  so 
much  complaint  from  Colonel  Lawrence's  regiment  about  being  stinted 
for  food  on  the  voyage  from  New- York  City  to  Annapolis,  when  we 
are  advised  that  Major  Ladd  obtained  fifteen  days'  rations  in  New 
York  for  the  whole  command,  and  shipped  them  on  board  the  steamers 
"  Ariel "  and  "  De  Soto,"  on  which  the  troops  sailed. 

Major  Charles  Devens,  major  of  the  Rifle  Battalion  of  Worcester, 
will  be  found,  among  others,  a  most  intelligent  person  with  whom  to 
consult. 

Learn  and  report,  if  possible,  what  aid,  if  any,  is  needed  in  the 
commissary  and  quartermaster's  departments  and  on  the  medical  staff. 

1  desire  you  particularly  to  attend  to  the  proper  distribution  of 
the  stores  shipped  on  the  steamer  "  Cambridge,"  which  will  be  due 
at  Washington,  probably  on  Saturday  next.  Please  advise  with 
Brigadier-General  Butler  and  with  Lieutenant-General  Scott  on  this 
subject. 


DR.    S.    G.    HOWE,    SANITARY    AGENT.  153 

I  annex  invoices  of  the  stores  belonging  to  the  Commonwealth, 
which  were  shipped  on  board  of  her. 

In  all  these  matters  which  I  commit  to  your  care  for  inspection 
and  supervision,  it  must  be  left  to  your  discretion  to  obtain  the  fullest 
and  most  accurate  information  possible,  in  order  to  direct  your  course 
of  action.  In  all  your  operations,  I  do  not  doubt  that  you  will 
receive  the  most  cordial  assistance  and  co-operation  from  General  But 
ler,  to  whose  kind  attention  I  commend  you,  and  with  whom  I  desire 
you  shall  constantly  advise  and  consult.  What  I  desire  to  obtain  is, 
a  thorough  comprehension  of  the  position  and  condition  of  our  troops, 
in  all  respects,  so  as  to  remedy  existing  deficiencies  and  provide  against 
future  evils. 

It  is  impossible  to  convey  any  such  thorough  idea  to  me  through 
written  despatches  so  speedily  as  I  wish  to  obtain  it ;  and  therefore, 
inasmuch  as  in  the  absence  of  a  Lieutenant-Governor  I  cannot  con 
veniently  leave  Massachusetts  in  person  for  that  purpose,  I  desire  you 
to  act  in  a  species  of  representative  capacity  for  observation  in  my 
behalf. 

Your  expenses  will  be  paid  by  the  Commonwealth  ;  and  I  con 
gratulate  the  service  that  I  have  been  able  to  induce  you  to  undertake 
this  duty. 

With  great  regard,  your  friend  and  servant, 

JOHN  A.  ANDREW,   Governor. 

Dr.  Howe  immediately  entered  upon  his  duties.  Upon  his 
return,  he  made  a  report  of  the  condition  of  the  regiments. 
He  went  by  way  of  Annapolis  to  Washington.  His  first  im 
pression  was  at  the  changed  appearance  of  the  men.  But  yes 
terday  they  were  citizens  ;  to-day  they  are  soldiers,  five  hundred 
miles  from  their  homes,  and  ready  to  go  a  thousand  more.  On 
looking  at  the  actual  condition  of  the  regiments,  he  was  sur 
prised  to  find  how  abundant  had  been  the  provision  made  for 
their  comfort  and  efficiency.  There  were  some  complaints  and 
grumblings  about  exposure  and  sleeping  on  the  ground  by 
ni^ht,  and  about  hard  fare  and  disgusting  food  by  day ;  but  on 
one  who  had  found  relish  in  boiled  sorrel,  and  a  luxury  in  raw 
snails,  these  complaints  made  but  little  impression.  It  was  evi 
dent,  as  a  general  thing,  there  had  been  an  abundant  outfit, 
and  a  superabundance  of  what  are  usually  considered  luxuries 
at  home.  The  breaking-in  of  a  soldier  to  campaign  life  seems 


154  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

a  rough  and  hard  process  ;  but  it  is  not  a  killing  one,  especially 
to  Xew-Englanders.  In  a  while,  the  boys  would  laugh  at  what 
they  have  complained  of.  There  is  a  vein  of  humor  and  sar 
casm  running  through  the  report  of  Dr.  Howe,  such  as  might 
have  been  expected  from  a  gentleman  of  his  peculiar  tempera 
ment,  knowledge,  and  practical  experience  in  the  rough  usage 
of  active  military  life  ;  and  yet  it  is  full  of  kind  words  and  wise 
suggestions.  He  says,  "  The  invoice  of  articles  sent  by  the 
'Cambridge'  and  other  vessels  for  our  troops,  contains  articles 
hardly  dreamed  of  even  by  general  officers  in  actual  war.  Hun 
dreds  of  chests  of  Oolong  teas,  tons  of  white  crushed  sugar, 
and  then  a  whole  cargo  of  ice  !  "  Besides  these  regular  sup 
plies,  a  vast  variety  of  articles  of  use  and  luxury  had  been  sent 
by  the  families  of  the  soldiers  and  the  town  committees.  "Their 
principal  value  (and  that  is  priceless)  is  as  a  testimony  of  the 
patriotism,  zeal,  and  generosity  of  the  men  and  women,  who 
felt  that  they  must  do  something  for  the  cause,  which  seemed  to 
them,  not  only  of  their  country,  but  of  humanity."  He  speaks 
of  the  reports  of  cruelty  practised  in  one  of  the  regiments  (not 
named),  which  are  so  frequent  that  they  made  a  powerful  im 
pression  on  him.  He  found  only  about  one  per  cent  on  the 
sick-list,  and  only  two  cases  of  dangerous  illness.  As  to  the 
matter  of  suffering,  he  says,  "Some  soldiers  do  indeed  complain 
that  they  have  undergone  needless  exposures,  privations,  and 
hardships,  through  the  indifference  of  officers.  It  is  hoped  that 
the  most  flagrant  cases  of  the  kind  arose  from  over-sanguine 
temper,  which  made  the  officers  overlook  the  great  liability  to 
storms,  when  leading  out  troops  unprovided  with  tents,  and 
that  longer  experience  will  correct  this."  But,  he  says,  — 

"  There  will  be  many  captains  like  one  whom  I  could  name  in  the 
Massachusetts  Fifth,  —  the  stalwart  man,  every  inch  of  whose  six  feet 
is  of  soldier  stamp ;  the  captain  who  eschews  hotel  dinners,  and  takes 
every  meal  with  his  men,  eating  only  what  they  eat;  who  is  their  reso 
lute  and  rigid  commander  when  on  duty,  but  their  kind  and  faithful 
companion  and  friend  when  off  duty  ;  who  lies  down  with  them  upon 
the  bare  ground  or  floor,  and,  if  there  are  not  blankets  enough  for  all, 
refuses  to  use  one  himself;  who  often  gets  up  in  the  night,  and  draws 
the  blankets  over  any  half-covered  sleeper,  and  carries  water  to  any 


ANECDOTE    OF    CAPTAIN    PRESCOTT.  155 

one  who  may  be  feverish  and  thirsty  ;  the  man  who  is  like  a  father  as 
well  as  a  captain  of  his  soldiers.  He  is  the  man  who  administered 
that  stern  rebuke  the  other  day  to  the  upstart  West- Point  cadet,  sent 
to  drill  the  company.  The  first  day,  the  cadet  interlarded  the  orders 
with  oaths,  —  his  commands  with  curses.  The  men  complained  to  their 
captain.  *  I'll  stop  that  to-morrow,'  says  he.  The  next  day's  drill 
begins,  and  the  cadet  begins  to  swear  at  the  soldiers.  '  Please  not 
swear  at  my  men,  sir,'  says  the  captain.  '  What  do  you  know  about 
the  drill  ? '  says  the  cadet ;  '  and  what  can  you  do  about  my  swearing  ?  ' 
'  Sir,'  says  the  captain  sternly,  '  I  know  this,  and  you  ought  to  know 
it,  —  swearing  is  forbidden  by  the  army  regulation ;  and,  if  you  con 
tinue  to  break  the  rule,  I'll  order  my  men  to  march  off  the  ground, 
and  they'll  obey  me,  and  leave  you  to  swear  alone.'  The  cadet  took 
the  rebuke,  and  swore  no  more  at  that  company.  There  are  many 
officers  of  this  stamp ;  and  then  there  is  among  the  soldiers  enough  of 
the  old  Puritan  leaven  to  lighten  the  lump." 

"  The  stalwart  man,  every  inch  of  whose  six  feet  is  of 
soldier  stamp,"  was  undoubtedly  Captain  Prescott,  who  com 
manded  the  Concord  company  in  the  Fifth  Regiment,  as  the 
story  is  told  of  him  in  nearly  the  same  words  by  Ralph  Waldo 
Emerson,  in  his  address,  delivered  a  few  months  ago  on  the 
occasion  of  the  dedication  of  the  soldiers'  monument,  erected 
in  Concord  in  honor  of  the  soldiers  of  that  town  who  fell  in  the 
war.  On  that  monument  is  the  name  of  George  L.  Prescott, 
who,  as  colonel  of  the  Massachusetts  Thirty-second  Regiment, 
fell  in  front  of  Petersburg,  mortally  wounded,  on  the  18th  of 
June,  1864,  while  leading  his  men  in  a  charge  upon  the  enemy, 
and  who  died  on  the  field.  A  brave  and  generous  gentleman  ! 

Dr.  Howe's  report  is  too  long  to  quote  entire.  It  contains 
many  wise  suggestions  in  regard  to  cleanliness  and  cooking 
rations,  and  concludes  with  this  pithy  sentence  :  "  If  a  tithe  of 
the  science,  skill,  and  care  which  are  so  liberally  given  to  im 
proving  all  the  means  of  killing  the  soldiers  of  other  armies 
were  devoted  to  the  means  of  keeping  our  own  soldiers  in 
health,  the  present  fearful  mortality  of  war  would  be  greatly 

lessened." 

We  have  stated  in  the  preceding  chapter,  that,  when  General 
Butler  landed  with  the  Eighth  Regiment  at  Annapolis,  a  rumor 
reached  him  that  the  slaves  in  that  vicinity  were  on  the  eve  of 


156  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

rising  in  rebellion  against  their  masters ;  and  that  he  offered 
to  Governor  Hicks  the  Eighth  Regiment  to  suppress  it,  which 
offer  was  declined  peremptorily  by  the  Governor  of  Maryland. 
The  rumor  had  no  foundation  upon  which  to  rest.  Governor 
Andrew  was  informed  that  such  an  offer  had  been  made,  by  a 
despatch  from  General  Butler,  written  at  Annapolis.  He  re 
garded  it  with  disfavor,  and  immediately  wrote  to  the  General, 
expressing  his  approval  of  all  that  he  had  thus  far  done,  with 
the  exception  of  this  offer  to  use  Massachusetts  troops  for  such  a 
purpose,  especially  as  their  first  duty  was  to  get  to  Washington, 
and  protect  the  national  capital  from  threatened  attack.  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  said,  — 

"  I  think  that  the  matter  of  servile  insurrection  among  a  commu 
nity  in  arms  against  the  Federal  Union  is  no  longer  to  be  regarded  by 
our  troops  in  a  political,  but  solely  in  a  military  point  of  view  ;  and  is 
to  be  contemplated  as  one  of  the  inherent  weaknesses  of  the  enemy, 
from  the  disastrous  operations  of  which  we  are  under  no  obligations  of 
a  military  character  to  guard  them,  in  order  that  they  may  be  enabled 
to  improve  the  security  which  our  arms  would  afford,  so  as  to  prose 
cute  witli  more  energy  their  traitorous  attacks  upon  the  Federal 
Government  and  capital.  The  mode  in  which  outbreaks  are  to  be 
considered  should  depend  entirely  upon  the  loyalty  or  disloyalty  of  the 
community  in  which  they  occur ;  and,  in  the  vicinity  of  Annapolis,  I 
can  on  this  occasion  perceive  no  reason  of  military  policy  why  a  force, 
summoned  to  the  defence  of  the  Federal  Government,  at  this  moment 
of  all  others,  should  be  offered  to  be  diverted  from  its  immediate  duty, 
to  help  rebels,  who  stand  with  arms  in  their  hands,  obstructing  its 
progress  towards  the  city  of  Washington.  I  entertain  no  doubt,  that, 
whenever  we  shall  have  an  opportunity  to  interchange  our  views  per 
sonally  on  this  subject,  we  shall  arrive  at  entire  concurrence  of 
opinion." 

General  Butler,  on  the  9th  of  May,  wrote  a  long  letter  to 
Governor  Andrew,  in  which  he  defended  his  action  in  offering 
the  Eighth  Regiment  to  suppress  a  slave  insurrection.  He  be 
gan  by  apologizing  for  delay  in  writing  ;  his  active  official  duties 
pressing  him  for  time,  and  a  slight  attack  of  illness,  being  his 
excuses.  Pie  acknowledges  "  the  more  than  usual  accuracy  "  of 
the  despatch  received  by  Governor  Andrew,  and  then  proceeds 
to  defend  his  course.  He  said,  "  I  landed  on  the  soil  of  Mary- 


GENERAL    BUTLER'S    OFFER    TO    GOVERNOR   HICKS.       157 

land  against  the  formal  protest  of  the  Governor  and  the  corpo 
rate  authorities  of  Annapolis,  but  without  armed  opposition  on 
their  part."  He  informed  Governor  Hicks  that  the  soldiers  of 
his  command  were  armed  only  against  insurgents  and  disturbers 
of  the  peace  of  Maryland  and  of  the  United  States.  He 
received  from  the  Governor  and  Mayor  assurances  of  the 
loyalty  of  the  State  to  the  Union.  He  told  the  Governor  and 
Mayor,  that,  supported  by  the  authorities  of  the  State  and  city, 
he  should  repress  all  hostile  demonstrations  against  the  laws 
of  Maryland  and  the  United  States  ;  and  would  protect  both 
himself  and  the  city  of  Annapolis  from  any  disorderly  per 
sons  whatever.  Therefore,  when  he  was  subsequently  informed 
of  the  probable  insurrection,  he  could  do  nothing  less  than  make 
the  offer  he  did,  as  it  came  within  the  pledge  he  had  given. 
He  proceeds,  "  The  question  seemed  to  me  to  be  neither  military 
nor  political,  and  was  not  to  be  so  treated.  It  was  simply  a 
question  of  good  faith  and  honesty  of  purpose."  He  then  speaks 
of  "  the  benign  effect "  which  his  offer  had  upon  the  people  of 
Annapolis.  The  people  had  returned  to  their  homes,  and  peace 
and  order  everywhere  prevailed.  "  Confidence  took  the  place 
of  distrust,  friendship  of  enmity,  brotherly  kindness  of  sectional 
hate ;  and  I  believe  to-day  there  is  no  city  in  the  Union  more 
loyal  than  the  city  of  Annapolis.  I  think,  therefore,  I  may 
safely  point  to  the  results  for  my  justification."  He  also  says, 
—  the  "neighboring  county  of  Washington"  had  a  few  days 
before  elected  a  Union  delegate  to  the  Legislature  by  a  vote  of 
four  thousand  out  of  five  thousand  ballots, —  This  vote  "is 
among  the  many  fruits  of  firmness  of  purpose,  efficiency  of 
action,  and  integrity  of  mission."  But,  as  he  may  have  to  act 
hereafter  "in  an  enemy's  country,  among  a  servile  population, 
when  the  question  nmy  arise  as  it  has  not  yet  arisen,  as  well  in 
a  moral  and  Christian  as  in  a  political  and  military  point  of 
view,  what  shall  I  do  ?  "  The  remainder  of  the  letter  we  give 
entire  :  — 

"I  appreciate  fully  your  Excellency's  suggestion  as  to  the  inherent 
weakness  of  the  rebels,  arising  from  the  preponderance  of  the  s 
population.     The   question,  then,   is,  in  what  manner  shall  we  take 
advantage  of  that  weakness?     By  allowing,  and  of  course  causing, 


158  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLIOX. 

that  population  to  rise  upon  the  defenceless  women  and  children  of  the 
country,  carrying  rapine,  arson,  and  murder  —  all  the  horrors  of  San 
Domingo  a  million  of  times  magnified  —  among  those  whom  we  hope  to 
re-unite  with  us  as  brethren,  many  of  whom  are  already  so,  and  all 
who  are  worth  preserving  will  be,  when  this  horrible  madness  shall 
have  passed  away  or  be  threshed  out  of  them  ?  Would  your  Excel 
lency  advise  the  troops  under  my  command  to  make  war  in  person 
upon  defenceless  women  and  children,  of  any  part  of  the  Union, 
accompanied  with  brutalities  too  horrible  to  be  named  ?  You  will  say, 
God  forbid  !  If  we  may  not  do  so  in  person,  shall  we  arm  others  so  to 
do,  over  whom  we  can  have  no  restraint,  exercise  no  control,  and  who, 
when  once  they  have  tasted  blood,  may  turn  the  very  arms  in  their 
hands  against  ourselves  as  a  part  of  the  oppressing  white  race?  The 
reading  of  history,  so  familiar  to  your  Excellency,  will  tell  you,  the 
bitterest  cause  of  complaint  which  our  fathers  had  against  Great 
Britain,  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  was  the  arming  by  the  British 
Ministry  of  the  red  man  with  the  tomahawk  and  the  scalping-knife 
against  the  women  and  children  of  the  colonies ;  so  that  the  phrase, 
'May  we  not  use  all  the  means  which  God  and  nature  have  put  in  our 
hands  to  subjugate  the  colonies?'  has  passed  into  a  legend  of  infamy 
against  the  leader  of  that  ministry  who  used  it  in  Parliament.  Shall 
history  teach  us  in  vain  ?  Could  we  justify  ourselves  to  ourselves, 
although  with  arms  in  our  hands,  amid  the  savage  wildness  of  camp 
and  field,  we  may  have  blunted  many  of  the  finer  moral  sensibilities, 
in  letting  loose  four  millions  of  worse  than  savages  upon  the  homes 
and  hearths  of  the  South  ?  Can  we  be  justified  to  the  Christian  com 
munity  of  Massachusetts  ?  Would  such  a  course  be  consonant  with 
the  teachings  of  our  holy  religion  ?  I  have  a  very  decided  opinion 
upon  the  subject;  and  if  any  one  desires  —  as  I  know  your  Excellency 
does  not  —  this  unhappy  contest  to  be  prosecuted  in  that  manner,  some 
instrument  other  than  myself  must  be  found  to  carry  it  on.  I  may  not 
discuss  the  political  bearings  of  this  subject.  When  I  went  from  under 
the  shadow  of  my  roof-tree,  I  left  all  politics  behind  me,  to  be  resumed 
only  when  every  part  of  the  Union  is  loyal  to  the  flag,  and  the  potency 
of  the  Government  through  the  ballot-box  is  established. 

"  Passing  the  moral  arid  Christian  view,  let  us  examine  the  subject 
as  a  military  question.  Is  not  that  State  already  subjugated  which 
requires  the  bayonets  of  those  armed  in  opposition  to  its  rulers  to  pre 
serve  it  from  the  horrors  of  a  servile  war  ?  As  the  least  experienced 
of  military  men,  I  would  have  no  doubt  of  the  entire  subjugation  of  a 
State  brought  to  that  condition.  When,  therefore,  —  unless  I  am 
better  advised,  —  any  community  in  the  United  States  who  have  met 


LETTER    ON    SLAVERY.  159 

me  in  an  honorable  warfare,  or  even  in  the  prosecution  of  a  rebellious 
war  in  an  honorable  manner,  shall  call  upon  me  for  protection  against 
the  nameless  horrors  of  a  servile  insurrection,  they  shall  have  it ;  and 
from  the  moment  that  call  is  obeyed,  I  have  no  doubt  we  shall  be 
friends,  and  not  enemies. 

"  The  possibility  that  dishonorable  means  of  defence  are  to  be  taken 
by  the  rebels  against  the  Government  I  do  not  now  contemplate.  If, 
as  has  been  done  in  a  single  instance,  my  men  are  to  be  attacked  by 
poison,  or,  as  in  another,  stricken  down  by  the  assassin's  knife,  and  thus 
murdered,  the  community  using  such  weapons  may  be  required  to  be 
taught,  that  it  holds  within  its  own  border  a  more  potent  means  for 
deadly  purposes  and  indiscriminate  slaughter  than  any  which  it  can 
administer  to  u?. 

"  Trusting  that  these  views  may  meet  your  Excellency's  approval, 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  BENJ.  F.  BUTLER." 

The  letter  of  Governor  Andrew  was  not  written  for  publica 
tion  :  whether  the  reply  of  General  Butler  was  written  for  that 
purpose,  the  reader  can  judge  for  himself.  To  the  surprise  of 
the  Governor,  both  letters  appeared  in  the  public  prints  shortly 
after  the  reply  of  General  Butler  was  received  by  him.  General 
Butler  gave  as  one  reason  for  the  publication,  that  the  Boston 
correspondent  of  the  New- York  Tribune  had  referred  to  the 
correspondence  in  one  of  his  letters  to  that  paper ;  and  stated 
that  the  correspondent  had  received  information  concerning 
them  from  the  Governor's  private  secretary,  Colonel  A.  G. 
Browne.  This  charge  was  emphatically  denied  by  the  secre 
tary,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  General  Butler,  and  he  also  obtained 
from  the  Tribune  correspondent  a  letter  denying,  in  the  fullest 
and  broadest  sense,  that  he  had  given  him  the  information. 
Copies  of  these  letters  are  on  file  in  the  executive  department 
in  the  State  House. 

The  letters  of  Governor  Andrew  and  General  Butler  are 
interesting  and  important  as  an  exhibition  of  the  sentiments  of 
the  two  gentlemen  respecting  the  proper  course  to  pursue  in 
regard  to  the  slave  population  in  a  rebellious  State,  and  also 
as  to  what  was  the  proper  course  to  pursue  in  the  exigency 
which  then  existed.  The  Government  had  called  for  troops  to 
proceed  without  delay  to  Washington,  which  was  threatened  by 


1GO  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

rebel  forces  from  Virginia  and  Maryland.  The  troops  had  been 
called  from  their  homes  and  workshops,  and  sent  from  the  State 
to  perform  this  duty,  not  to  put  down  a  negro  insurrection  in 
Maryland.  They  had  not  volunteered  for  that  purpose.  They 
were  to  go  to  Washington  with  all  possible  despatch,  and  report 
to  the  United-States  officers  in  command  of  that  post.  The 
capital  of  the  nation  was  in  imminent  peril.  They  were 
to  defend  it  against  the  enemy.  Thus  Governor  Andrew  re 
monstrated  against  their  being  diverted,  in  violation  of  express 
orders,  from  the  purpose  for  which  they  had  been  called  into 
action. 

General  Butler,  in  his  reply,  does  not  touch  this  point,  which 
was  the  strong  point  in  Governor  Andrew's  letter.  The  Gen 
eral  goes  into  a  long  argument  upon  the  question  of  slave 
insurrections,  illustrating  his  meaning  by  references  to  the 
atrocities  of  San  Domingo,  and  the  barbarities  committed  by 
the  Indian  allies  of  Great  Britain  in  the  war  of  the  Revolu 
tion.  It  is  not  our  intention,  however,  to  pursue  this  subject 
further.  The  correspondence  makes  an  interesting  episode  in 
the  war  record  of  Massachusetts,  and  therefore  could  not  prop 
erly  be  passed  over  without  remark.  Nor  is  it  necessary  now 
to  criticise  the  argument  used  by  General  Butler,  to  show  how 
utterly,  at  that  time,  he  misunderstood  and  wrongly  appreciated 
the  character  of  the  colored  race  in  the  Southern  States. 

The  only  notice  which  Governor  Andrew  took  of  General 
Butler's  letter  was  in  a  letter  addressed  to  him,  dated  May  21, 
1861,  from  which  we  extract  as  follows  :  — 

•'Your  note  of  the  16th  instant  is  before  me.  While  I  have  no 
objection  to  your  publishing  your  views  on  military,  political,  and 
moral  questions  in  the  character  of  a  private  controversialist  (for  of 
that  it  is  your  own  supreme  right  to  judge  as  a  gentleman  and  a  citi 
zen),  yet  I  cannot  engage  in  the  controversy,  however  agreeable  to  me 
it  might  be  to  do  so  under  other  circumstances,  since  a  great  and  noble 
cause  ought  not  to  be  disturbed  or  imperilled  by  personal  complica 
tions.  And  therefore,  although  your  paper,  by  its  discussions  of 
questions  not  logically  arising  out  of  that  to  which  it  is  in  professed 
reply,  has  the  tendency  to  mislead  the  reader  injuriously  to  myself,  yet 
I  cannot  persuade  my  own  judgment  that  I  should  do  otherwise  than 
wrong,  considering  our  mutual  and  public  relations,  were  I  to  join 


END    OF    RECORD    OF   THREE    MONTHS'    TROOPS.  161 

issue,  and  go  to  trial  before  the  popular  tribunal  of  newspaper  readers. 
On  this  ground  you  will  excuse  my  silence  and  non-appearance  in  the 
arena  of  debate." 

It  is  proper  to  state,  that  the  offer  made  by  General  Butler 
to  Governor  Hicks  was  not  known  to  the  colonel  of  the  Eighth 
Regiment,  who  informed  the  writer  that  he  was  not  aware  that 
such  an  offer  was  ever  made,  or  that  a  correspondence  had 
passed  between  General  Butler  and  Governor  Andrew  on 
such  a  subject. 

We  now  close  the  record  of  the  three  months'  troops.  A 
call  for  volunteers  to  serve  for  three  -years  or  the  war  had 
been  issued  by  the  President.  An  extra  session  of  the  Legis 
lature  had  been  called  by  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts.  The 
war  began  to  assume  a  giant  form,  that  increased  in  stature 
and  in  power,  and  cast  its  shadow  to  the  ends  of  the  civilized 
world. 


ii 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Companies  sent  to  the  Forts  —  Officers  appointed  to  command  —  Militia  Bat 
talions  —  First  Call  for  Three  Years'  Troops  —  Delays  at  Washington  —  Let 
ter  to  Montgomery  Blair  —  Letter  of  Secretary  of  War — General  Order 
No.  12  —  Six  Regiments  allowed  —  Governor  anxious  to  send  more  —  Letter 
of  General  Walbridge  —  Governor  to  Senator  Wilson  —  More  Delay  —  Extra 
Session  of  the  Legislature  —  Address  of  the  Governor  —  Proceedings  of  the 
Legislature  —  War  Measures  adopted  —  Debate  on  Colored  Troops  —  Bills 
passed  by  the  Legislature -^  Sinking  Fund  —  Government  Securities  —  Pay 
of  Troops  —  Established  Camps  —  Seven  Millions  of  Dollars  —  State  Aid  to 
Families  of  Soldiers  —  The  Six  Regiments  of  Three  Years'  Men  —  Ten  more 
Regiments  called  for  —  Their  Organization  —  Additional  Staff  Officers  ap 
pointed  —  Surgeon-General's  Department  organized  —  Letter  of  Governor  to 
Dr.  Lyman  —  Board  of  Medical  Examiners  —  Promotion  of  the  Surgeon- 
General  —  Letter  of  the  Governor  to  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe  —  New-England 
Rooms,  New  York  —  Letter  of  Colonel  Lee  to  Charles  R.  Lowell  —  Letters 
of  the  Governor  to  Different  Parties  —  Circular  of  the  Secretary  of  War  — 
Colonel  Browne  to  Colonel  Howe  —  Abstract  of  Correspondence  —  Colonel 
Sargent  to  General  Scott — Cobb's  Battery  —  Letter  to  Colonel  Webster  — 
Letter  to  the  President  —  Irish  Regiments  —  Flag-raising  at  Bunker-Hill 
Monument —  Speech  of  Governor  Andrew  —  Speech  of  Colonel  Webster  — 
Interesting  Ceremonies  —  Conclusion. 

THE  defenceless  condition  of  the  forts  in  Boston  Harbor,  in 
the  early  part  of  the  war,  was  a  cause  of  much  labor  and 
anxiety  to  the  Governor,  and  to  the  merchants  and  under 
writers,  whose  vessels  at  anchor  in  the  harbor,  or  lying  at  the 
wharves,  were  greatly  exposed.  Frequent  representations  of 
the  insecure  condition  of  Boston  were  made  by  the  Governor 
to  the  Secretary  of  War,  which,  for  a  considerable  time, 
failed  to  elicit  attention.  To  allay,  in  some  degree,  the  gen 
eral  feeling  of  insecurity,  the  Governor,  on  the  24th  of 
April,  ordered  the  Fourth  Battalion  of  Infantry,  under  com 
mand  of  Major  Thomas  G.  Stevenson,  to  garrison  Fort  Inde 
pendence,  where  it  remained  until  the  21st  of  May.  On  the 
2(Jth  of  April,  the  Second  Battalion  of  Infantry,  under  com- 


TROOPS  SENT  TO  THE  FORTS.  1(13 

mand  of  Major  Ralph  W.  Newton,  was  ordered   to   garrison 
Fort  Warren,  where  it  remained  until  the  1st  of  June. 

Major-General  Samuel  Andrews,  of  Boston,  was  ordered  to 
take  command  of  both  forts,  which  position  he  held  from  the 
1st  of  May  until  the  1st  of  June,  when  he  was  relieved.  The 
command  of  Fort  Warren  was  given  to  Brigadier-General 
Ebenezer  W.  Peirce,  on  the  13th  of  May.  He  was  relieved 
on  the  27th  of  the  same  month,  having  been  appointed  to  take 
command  of  the  Massachusetts  troops  at  the  front,  and  to  fill 
the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the  promotion  of  General  Butler  to 
be  a  major-general  of  volunteers.  General  Peirce  was  suc 
ceeded  in  command  of  Fort  Warren  by  Brigadier-General 
Joseph  Andrews,  who  remained  on  duty  there,  and  at  Camp 
Cameron,  in  Cambridge,  until  Nov.  18,  1861. 

On  the  21st  of  May,  the  Fourth  Battalion  of  Rifles,  Major 
Samuel  H.  Leonard,  was  ordered  to  Fort  Independence,  where 
it  was  recruited  to  a  regiment  of  three  years'  volunteers, 
afterwards  known  as  the  Thirteenth  Regiment.  A  camp  was 
also  formed  on  Long  Island,  in  Boston  Harbor,  to  which  a 
number  of  companies,  composed  of  men  of  Irish  birth,  were 
ordered.  These  companies  were  to  form  two  regiments  of 
three  years'  men,  to  be  known  as  the  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth 
Regiments.  They  were  afterwards  consolidated  into  one,  and 
known  as  the  Ninth.  Of  this  camp,  on  the  llth  of  May, 
Brigadier-General  William  W.  Bullock  was  placed  in  com 
mand.  He  remained  on  duty  until  the  12th  of  June,  when 
the  Ninth  was  ordered  to  Washington,  and  the  camp  was 
broken  up. 

The  battalions  first  ordered  to  the  forts  performed  much  labor 
in  removing  rubbish,  old  shanties,  piles  of  bricks,  and  lumber; 
filling  up  excavations  ;  erecting  chimneys  and  cook-houses  ;  ar 
ranging  hospital  accommodations,  and  preparing  them,  as  well, 
as  the  limited  means  would  permit,  for  defensive  operations. 
These  labors  have  never  been  properly  acknowledged  by  the 
General  Government ;  on  the  contrary,  a  captious  and  unjust 
report  of  the  condition  of  the  forts  was  made,  in  June,  1861, 
by  an  army  officer,  a  copy  of  which  was  sent  to  Governor  An 
drew  by  Major-General  Wool.  This  report  sets  forth  that  the 


164  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

forts  had  been  greatly  injured  by  the  two  battalions  ;  that  nails 
had  been  driven  into  the  walls  of  the  casemates,  drains  ob 
structed,  filth  accumulated,  and  chimneys  so  erected  that  large 
guns  could  not  be  properly  manned  and  worked.  That  these 
statements  had  a  slight  foundation  upon  which  to  rest,  we  shall 
not  deny  ;  but  if  the  officer  had  made  a  survey  of  the  forts, 
and  especially  of  Fort  Warren,  before  the  two  battalions  had 
taken  possession,  his  report  would  have  been  of  a  different 
tenor,  and  he  would  have  accorded  to  the  soldiers  praise  instead 
of  censure.  They  certainly  deserved  it :  they  saved  the  Govern 
ment  time  and  money  in  making  the  forts  habitable,  and  by  put 
ting  them  in  a  condition  to  defend  the  harbor,  and  maintain 
garrisons. 

The  Governor,  on  the  25th  of  April,  appointed  the  three 
major-generals  of  militia,  —  Messrs.  Button,  Morse,  and 
Andrews,  —  with  a  portion  of  their  respective  staff,  an  examin 
ing  board  to  pass  upon  the  qualification  of  persons  elected 
officers  of  new  companies.  This  board  remained  in  service 
until  the  24th  of  May,  when  it  was  relieved  from  further 
duties.  The  number  of  persons  examined  by  the  board  was  six 
hundred  and  forty-one  men,  thirty-nine  of  whom  were  rejected. 

On  the  2d  of  May,  Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  C.  Holmes,  of 
the  First  Company  of  Cadets,  was  placed  in  command  of  a 
guard  at  the  State  Arsenal  at  Cambridge,  and  the  powder 
magazine  at  Captain's  Island.  The  guard  was  composed  of 
members  of  the  cadets  and  students  of  Harvard  University,  who 
volunteered  their  services.  They  were  relieved  on  the  30th  of 
May,  and  received  the  thanks  of  the  Governor. 

We  have  already  stated,  that  the  President  issued  a  proclama 
tion,  on  the  3d  of  May,  for  volunteers  to  serve  for  three  years,  or 
during  the  war.  On  the  4th  of  May,  Secretary  Cameron  issued 
General  Order  Xo.  15,  setting  forth  the  number  of  regiments 
to  be  raised,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  were  to  be  organ 
ized.  There  were  to  be  thirty-nine  regiments  of  infantry,  and 
one  regiment  of  cavalry.  Nothing  was  said  or  intimated  in 
the  Secretary's  order  about  the  proportion  of  men  or  regiments 
which  each  State  was  to  furnish.  At  this  time,  there  were,  in 
Massachusetts,  upwards  of  ten  thousand  men  organized  into 


DELAY   IN   WASHINGTON.  165 

companies.  They  had  enlisted  as  militia:  they  now  pressed 
forward  to  the  State  authorities  to  be  accepted  and  organized  as 
volunteers  for  three  years.  The  Governor  could  not  accept 
them  ;  could  not  muster  them  ;  could  not  encourage  them,  fur 
ther  than  with  kind  words,  until  answers  were  received  from 
Washington  to  messages  which  he  had  sent,  asking  that  they 
might  be  accepted.  Days  passed  on  :  no  requisitions  came. 
The  companies  held  to  their  organizations  ;  paraded  the  streets, 
partly  for  drill,  but  chiefly  to  pass  the  time,  until  information 
should  come  from  Washington,  that  their  services  would  be  ac 
cepted.  No  orders  came  ;  delay  and  disappointment  marked 
the  hour  ;  men  could  not  understand  why  the  Government  would 
not  accept  their  services.  They  pressed  daily  to  the  State 
House  ;  the  Governor  wrote  and  telegraphed  again  and  again 
to  Washington,  beseeching  the  Secretary  to  accept  the  services 
of  men  anxious  to  serve  their  country.  No  answer  came  for 
more  than  a  fortnight  after  the  President's  call  had  been  issued. 
A  letter  from  Secretary  Cameron  was  received  by  Governor 
Andrew,  on  the  22d  of  May.  As  a  favor,  Massachusetts  was 
allowed  to  furnish  six  regiments  of  three  years'  men. 

From  among  a  number  of  letters  written  at  this  time,  and 
upon  this  subject,  we  select  the  following,  to  Montgomery  Blair, 
Postmaster-General :  — 

May  6,  1861. 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR,  Washington,  D.C. 

MY  DEAR  FRIEND,  —  Your  last  letter,  in  which  was  mentioned  a 
possible  plan  for  retaking  Sumter,  reached  me  in  the  midst  of  cares 
and  toil,  which  have  left  no  opportunity  to  pursue  the  subject. 

I  do  not  know  what  may  be  your  opinion,  or  that  of  the  Administra 
tion,  as  to  operating  at  that  point. 

The  whole  matter  has  now  assumed  the  broadest  proportions,  and 
we  in  Massachusetts  are  only  anxious  to  be  up  to  our  whole  duty ;  and 
it  is  my  strong  desire  to  receive  from  you  every  friendly  and  prompt 
ing  hint,  and  to  endeavor  to  follow  it.  At  the  same  time,  I  wish  your 
aid  in  affording  Massachusetts  those  full  opportunities  which  become 
her  services  and  her  character. 

I  have  not  the  honor  of  personally  knowing  the  Secretary  of  War. 
nor  do  I  know  how  far  he  may  share  your  sympathy  with  Massachu 
setts  in  her  present  attitude.  At  all  events,  I  cannot  address  him  on 


166  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

paper  in  the  earnest  and  familiar  manner  I  wish,  and  which,  indeed,  I 
might  adopt  if  face  to  face. 

Massachusetts,  first  in  the  field,  hurrying  thither  but  half  prepared, 
eager,  at  any  risk,  to  save  the  capital,  and,  if  possible,  clinch  by  a  blow 
the  national  resolve,  and,  by  some  gallant  act  or  exhibition,  revive  the 
nagging  pulsations  of  the  public  heart,  by  reason  of  her  promptness  of 
action  ;  of  the  blood  which,  flowing  from  her  veins,  has  once  more  ren 
dered  the  19th  of  April  an  historic  day;  by  the  good  conduct  of  her 
Old  Colony  Regiment,  in  the  affair  of  Norfolk  Navy  Yard  ;  of  Butler's 
whole  command  at  Annapolis,  in  holding  the  post,  saving  "  Old  Iron 
sides,"  cutting  out  a  ship-of-war  at  Baltimore,  rebuilding  railroads,  and 
reconstructing  locomotives,  —  may  possibly  be  looked  upon,  even  though 
useful  to  the  country,  as  too  forward  in  earning  renown. 

But,  my  dear  Blair,  I  can  trust  you,  that  you  both  believe  and  know 
of  Massachusetts,  that  we  fight  from  no  love  of  vulgar  glory,  no  desire 
to  conquer  what  is  not  ours,  but  that  from  the  quiet  industry  of  their 
peaceful  callings,  all  unused  to  arms,  and  with  no  thirst  for  war,  our 
men  have  drawn  their  swords,  simply  because  their  country  called, 
and  justice,  patriotism,  and  honor  summoned  them  to  the  field. 

Trusting  that  no  shameful  concessions  of  the  Government  will  ever 
purchase  the  cherished  blessings  of  peace  for  a  price  incompatible  with 
the  undoubted,  eternal,  and  confirmed  establishment  and  restoration  of 
natural  rights,  and  the  cause  of  liberty  and  democratic  constitutional 
government,  we  relent  at  no  sacrifice  appropriate  to  a  patriotic  and  de 
voted  people.  In  that  spirit  we  began,  and  are  continuing  to  prepare 
soldiers  and  material. 

We  are  enlisted  for  the  war ;  we  have  put  ourselves,  or  rather  keep 
ourselves,  where  we  belong,  under  the  national  lead  of  the  President 
and  his  Cabinet,  under  the  folds  of  the  flag  our  fathers  helped  to  raise. 
Hut  we  wish  to  go  onward,  not  to  stand  still. 

"  From  the  blood  of  the  slain,  from  the  fat  of  the  mighty,  let  the 
bow  of  Jonathan  turn  not  back,  and  his  shield  return  not  empty." 

I  pray  you  now,  as  my  personal  friend,  who  may  speak  for  me  and  my 
people  to  the  President  and  in  the  Cabinet,  —  I  pray  you  claim  and 
secure  to  us  the  right,  as  ours  was  the  first  military  force  to  encounter 
the  shock  of  arms  (namely,  the  Sixth  Regiment  of  the  Massachusetts 
line),  —  the  right  to  furnish  six  regiments  in  number,  and  to  march  with 
the  advancing  column  over  the  very  streets  where  our  brothers  poured 
out  their  blood.  The  number  of  our  citizens  ready  to  go,  the  strength 
of  their  convictions,  their  willingness  to  support  the  Government,  the 
variety  of  useful  capacity  which  characterizes  our  people,  certainly  leave 
them  behind  no  others.  Moreover,  we  believe,  since  we  have  a  war 


LETTER   TO    SECRETARY    CAMERON.  167 

on  hand,  in  making  it  a  short  one,  by  making  it  an  active  one ;  and,  as 
we  have  it  to  carry  on,  we  desire  to  "  pay  attention  to  it,"  finish  it  up, 
suppress  speedily  the  rebellion,  and  then  restore  the  waste  places  of 
Zion. 

Tell  Mr.  Chase  I  have  begun  inquiries  and  efforts,  in  the  hope  that 
Massachusetts  may  take  five  millions  of  his  loan.  It  ought  all  to  be 
taken  at  par,  on  six  per  cent  interest. 

I  am,  ever  faithfully,  JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

P.S.  —  I  understand  that  matters  at  our  navy  yard,  in  Charlestown, 
are  not  as  expeditious  as  they  would  be  if  some  old  incumbents  were 
away.  The  blacksmith  is  especially  complained  about.  We  do  need 
men  in  sympathy  with  the  great  work ;  and  I  hope  Mr.  Welles  will 
refer  to  Mr.  Greene,  of  the  Ordnance  Department,  and  Mr.  Roulstone, 
of  the  same  carriage  department,  and  see  if,  with  their  suggestions,  he 
cannot  inspire  some  new  life,  with  new  blood,  into  certain  branches  of 
the  work. 

The  letter  of  Secretary  Cameron,  permitting  Massachusetts  to 
furnish  six  regiments  of  volunteers,  as  before  stated,  was  not 
received  until  the  22d  of  May.  It  was  not  calculated  to  inspire 
either  spirit  or  enthusiasm.  We  copy  it  entire. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  WASHINGTON,  May  15,  1861. 
Governor  JOHN  A.  ANDREW,  Boston. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  I  have  the  honor  to  forward  you  enclosed  herewith 
the  plan  of  organization  of  the  volunteers  for  three  years,  or  during  the 
war.  Six  regiments  are  assigned  to  your  State  ;  making,  in  addition  to 
the  two  regiments  of  three  months'  militia  already  called  for,  eight 
regiments. 

It  is  important  to  reduce  rather  than  to  enlarge  this  number,  and  in 
no  event  to  exceed  it.  Let  me  earnestly  recommend  to  you,  therefore, 
to  call  for  no  more  than  eight  regiments,  of  which  six  only  are  to 
serve  for  three  years,  or  during  the  war,  and,  if  more  are  already  called 
for,  to  reduce  the  number  by  discharge.  In  making  up  the  quota  of 
three  years'  men,  you  will  please  act  in  concert  with  the  mustering 
officers  sent  to  your  State,  who  will  represent  this  Department. 
I  am,  sir,  respectfully, 

SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 

On  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  General  Order  No.  12  was  issued 
by  direction  of  the  Governor,  which  gave  notice  that  the  quota  of 
Massachusetts  was  "fixed  at  six  regiments  of  infantry,  to  be 


168  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

organized  as  prescribed  in  General  Order  No.  15  from  the 
War  Department."  The  plan  for  the  organization  of  the  regi 
ments  was  substantially  the  same  as  in  the  regular  army.  Each 
regiment  was  to  be  composed  of  ten  companies,  each  company 
to  have  a  captain,  two  lieutenants,  and  ninety-eight  enlisted  men. 
The  field  and  staff  officers  of  a  regiment  were  to  consist  of  a 
colonel,  lieutenant-colonel,  major,  adjutant,  quartermaster,  as 
sistant-surgeon,  sergeant-major,  quartermaster-sergeant,  com 
missary-sergeant,  hospital-steward,  two  principal  musicians, 
and  a  band  of  twenty-four  musicians.  This  system  of  regi 
mental  organization  was  observed  during  the  whole  of  the  war, 
with  the  exception  that  an  additional  surgeon  was  allowed,  and 
regimental  bands  were  discontinued. 

The  six  regiments  selected  to  complete  the  requisition  of  the 
Secretary  of  War,  were,  the  First,  which  was  ordered  to  "  Camp 
Cameron,"  in  North  Cambridge.  The  regiment  left  the  State  on 
the  15th  of  June,  for  Washington,  and  marched  through  Balti 
more  on  the  17th,  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Bunker  Hill. 
It  was  the  first  three  years'  regiment  that  reached  Washington 
in  the  war.  The  Second,  which  was  recruited  at  "  Camp 
Andrew,"  in  West  Roxbury,  left  the  State  on  the  8th  of  July, 
for  the  front.  The  Seventh,  which  was  recruited  at  "Camp 
Old  Colony,"  in  Taunton,  left  for  Washington  on  the  llth  of 
July.  The  Ninth,  which  was  recruited  and  organized  on  Long 
Island,  in  Boston  Harbor,  left  the  State  in  the  steamer  "Ben  De 
Ford,"  on  the  24th  of  June,  for  Washington.  The  Tenth,  which 
was  recruited  in  the  western  part  of  the  State,  remained  in 
camp  near  Springfield,  until  completely  organized.  Before 
leaving  the  State,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Medford,  and 
was  there  until  the  25th  of  July,  when  it  was  sent  forward  to 
Washington.  The  Eleventh,  which  was  quartered  in  Fort 
Warren,  left  for  Washington  on  the  24th  of  June.  These  six 
regiments  were  organized,  armed,  equipped,  clothed,  and  sent 
forward,  within  four  weeks  after  orders  were  received  that  they 
would  be  accepted.  Several  others  were  in  a  state  of  formation, 
some  of  them  in  camp  with  full  complement  of  men,  and  could 
have  been  sent  to  the  front  with  little  delay  if  the  Secretary 
had  given  his  consent.  This  could  not  be  obtained.  His  letter 


MORE    REGIMENTS    ACCEPTED.  169 

of  the  15th  of  May  cast  no  ray  of  hope  that  more  regiments 
would  be  accepted  from  Massachusetts  :  on  the  contrary,  "  it  was 
important  to  reduce  rather  than  to  enlarge  this  number."  The 
Governor,  nevertheless,  continued  to  urge  upon  the  President  and 
the  Secretary  the  acceptance  of  more  regiments. 

Among  the  men  who  sympathized  with  the  Governor  in  his 
desire  to  have  more  troops  accepted  was  General  Hiram 
Walbridge,  of  New  York.  He  was  earnest  to  have  the  war 
carried  on  with  vigor.  At  the  request  of  Governor  Andrew, 
General  Walbridge  brought  the  subject  to  the  attention  of  the 
President.  His  efforts  were  successful.  He  wrote  to  the 
Governor  from  Washington,  June  17th,  — 

"  I  am  gratified  to  enclose  you  herewith  a  copy  of  a  letter  addressed 
to  me  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  with  the  sanction  of  the  President,  in 
response  to  my  application  in  favor  of  taking  additional  forces,  author 
izing  me  to  notify  you  that  ten  additional  regiments  will  be  called  from 
the  loyal  and  patriotic  State  of  Massachusetts,  in  accordance  with  the 
terms  stated  in  your  letter  to  me  of  the  12th  inst." 

This  permission  to  send  forward  ten  more  regiments  gave 
great  satisfaction,  and  relieved  the  Governor  from  much  anxiety 
and  care,  with  which,  at  this  particular  period,  he  was  sorely 
pressed. 

Immediate  orders  were  issued  to  organize  and  send  forward 
the  regiments.  The  correspondence  of  the  Executive  Depart 
ment  reveals  some  of  the  embarrassing  questions  which  pressed 
upon  it  at  this  time.  On  the  8th  of  May,  Senator  Wilson 
who  was  in  Washington,  wrote  to  the  Governor,  that  "  the  con 
dition  of  the  uniforms  and  equipments  of  the  Massachusetts 
three  months'  troops  was  bad,  as  compared  with  those  of  other 
States."  On  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  the  Governor  wrote  to 
the  Senator  a  long  and  able  reply.  The  letter  is  dated  May 
10th;  and  in  it  he  said,  "he  has  sent  and  is  sending  forward 
large  supplies  both  of  provisions  and  of  clothing ;  but  as  he  is 
not  gifted  by  the  Lord  with  omniscience,  and  as  in  no  single 
instance  has  he  received  any  report  from  any  of  the  regiments 
in  and  about  Washington  of  what  they  need,  he  is  sorry  he  is 
unable  to  satisfy  everybody,  and  still  more  sorry  that  Massa 
chusetts  troops  should  be  permitted  to  suffer.  Although  a  month 


170  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

has  now  elapsed  since  they  left  the  State,  the  muster-rolls  of  the 
Eighth  Regiment  are  the  only  ones  which  have  as  yet  been 
received."  He  then  recites  the  facts  concerning  the  blankets 
which  were  put  on  board  of  the  transport  at  New  York  for 
the  Fifth  Regiment,  which  were  stowed  away  so  that  the  regi 
ment  could  not  get  them,  and  were  finally  taken  at  Annapolis, 
and  distributed  among  Pennsylvania  troops. 

He  also  speaks  of  the  neglect  of  officers  to  report  to  him 
what  they  need  fully  and  frequently,  in  order  that  he  may  know 
what  to  furnish.  In  no  single  instance  had  authentic  informa 
tion  been  received  of  any  needs,  without  measures  being  taken 
instantaneously  to  supply  them.  "  We  have  not  less  than  fifty 
thousand  dollars'  worth  of  under-garments  and  other  clothing 
now  on  hand.  We  are  now  having  manufactured  no  less  than 
six  thousand  summer  uniforms ;  and  we  have  spent  not  less 
than  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  merely  supplying  subsistence  to 
our  troops  on  their  way  and  in  the  field."  He  had,  when  the 
call  was  first  made  for  troops,  informed  the  Secretary  of  War 
that  the  troops  needed  some  articles  of  equipment,  who  replied  in 
substance,  "No  matter  :  only  hurry  them  forward,  we  will  look  out 
for  all  that,  and  will  remedy  all  such  needs  when  they  are 
arrived  here  :  it  is  essential  to  us  that  they  should  be  sent  at 
once."  Notwithstanding,  from  that  day  to  this  he  had  not 
been  advised  in  any  manner  what  supplies  he  has  furnished  or 
expects  to  furnish.  Notwithstanding  repeated  requests,  no 
United-States  officer  had  been  detailed  here  to  muster  troops  or 
to  advise  with  the  Governor  concerning  military  affairs,  as  has 
been  done  in  the  instance  of  New  York  and  other  States.  Not 
withstanding  he  had  frequently  called  attention  to  the  defence 
less  state  of  Boston  Harbor,  it  remains  undefended  by  a  single 
gun.  His  requests  meet  cither  with  silence,  or  with  positive 
refusal.  He  is  even  denied  by  the  Secretary  of  War  permission 
to  clean  Fort  Warren  at  the  expense  of  the  State,  so  as  to 
render  it  healthy  and  comfortable  for  the  volunteer  troops  to  be 
placed  there.  The  Governor  suggests  "  that  the  influence  of 
all  the  agents  of  Massachusetts  at  Washington  is  needed,  and 
may  be  profitably  exerted  to  extort  from  the  national  Govern 
ment,  if  it  cannot  be  done  by  persuasion,  at  least  some  approach 


MEETING    OF    THE    LEGISLATURE.  171 

to  the  courtesy  and  attention  which  have  evidently  been  extended 
to  other  States  in  these  respects,  and  which  is  pre-eminently 
due  to  Massachusetts,  by  reason  of  her  constant  loyalty,  her 
prompt  movement  to  the  defence  of  the  nation,  her  children 
dead  at  Baltimore,  and  the  sacrifice  of  money  and  of  men  which 
she  expects,  and  is  willing,  to  make  for  the  common  cause." 

The  delay  at  Washington  in  calling  for  more  troops,  and  the 
apparent  neglect  with  which  the  Governor's  letters  were  treated, 
did  not  change  his  purpose  nor  daunt  his  spirit.  He  never 
doubted  that  a  change  of  policy  would  soon  be  adopted  at 
Washington,  and  that  the  war  would  be  carried  on  with  might 
and  vigor.  Foreseeing  that  it  would  be  a  long  war,  he  deter 
mined  that  the  State  should  be  placed  in  a  condition  to  sustain 
her  part  with  all  the  resources  of  men  and  money  at  her  com 
mand.  Accordingly,  he  called  an  extra  session  of  the  Legislature, 
which  met  at  the  State  House  on  Tuesday,  the  14th  of  May. 

Mr.  Claflin,  in  calling  the  Senate  to  order,  referred  to  the  ex 
traordinary  events  which  had  transpired  since  the  adjournment, 
and  urged  upon  the  Senate  the  importance  of  meeting  them  in 
a  proper  spirit.  "  To  this  end,  let  us  act  our  part  faithfully,  that 
those  who  placed  in  our  hands  these  great  trusts  may  not  be 
disappointed,  and  we,  in  corning  time,  may  have  the  proud  con 
sciousness  of  having  done  our  duty." 

Speaker  Goodwin  congratulated  the  House  that  the  Old 
Bay  State  had  so  nobly  sustained  her  heroic  fame.  He  referred 
to  the  absence  of  some  of  the  members  who  were  with  their 
regiments  in  the  field,  and  concluded  by  saying,  "I  know  you 
will  all  join  in  a  most  ardent  aspiration,  that  an  honorable  peace 
may  soon  be  won  by  our  army,  and  the  arts  of  peace  once 
more  become  the  engrossing  topic  of  the  Legislature  of  the 
Commonwealth . " 

The  two  branches  met  in  convention,  and  Governor  Andrew 
delivered  his  address. 

"  The  occasion,"  he  said,  "  demands  action,  and  it  shall  not  be  delayed 
by  speech ;  nor  do  either  the  people  or  their  representatives  need  or 
require  to  be  stimulated  by  appeals  or  convinced  by  arguments.  A 
grand  era  has  dawned,  inaugurated  by  the  present  great  and  critical 
exio-encv  of  the  nation,  through  which  it  will  providentially  and 


172  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

triumphantly  pass,  and  soon,  emerging  from  apparent  gloom,  will  breathe 
a  freer  inspiration  in  the  assured  consciousness  of  vitality  and  power. 
Confident  of  our  ultimate  future  ;  confident  in  the  principles  and  ideas 
of  democratic  republican  government,  in  the  capacity,  conviction, 
and  manly  purpose  of  the  American  people,  wherever  liberty  exists, 
and  republican  government  is  administered  under  the  purifying  and 
instructing  power  of  free  opinion  and  free  debate,  —  I  perceive  noth 
ing  now  about  us  which  ought  to  discourage  the  good  or  to  alarm  the 
brave." 

The  Governor  then  spoke  of  the  nature  of  the  war.  "This 
is  no  war  of  sections,  no  war  of  North  and  South.  It  is 
waged  to  avenge  no  former  wrongs,  nor  to  perpetuate  ancient 
griefs  or  memories  of  conflict.  It  is  the  struggle  of  the  people 
to  vindicate  their  own  rights,  to  retain  and  invigorate  the  institu 
tions  of  their  fathers."  lie  then  recapitulated  the  services  of 
the  Massachusetts  troops,  —  their  prompt  response  to  the  call  of 
the  President ;  the  march  through  Baltimore  ;  the  garrisoning 
of  Fortress  Monroe  ;  the  advance  by  way  of  Annapolis  and  the 
Potomac  River  ;  the  saving  of  "  Old  Ironsides;  "  the  activity  of 
General  Butler  and  of  the  State  officers  ;  the  cost  of  equipping 
and  provisioning  the  regiments,  which,  up  to  that  time,  amounted 
to  $267,645.18,  exclusive  of  the  fifty  thousand  pounds  sterling 
drawn  in  favor  of  Mr.  Crownin shield,  for  the  purchase  of  arms 
in  Europe,  and  of  contracts  made,  which,  when  fulfilled,  would 
amount  to  $100,000  more. 

Up  to  that  time,  one  hundred  and  twenty -nine  new  companies 
had  been  organized.  The  Governor  recommended  the  formation 
of  a  State  camp  for  military  instruction,  under  proper  rules  and 
regulations,  but  which  encampment  "  should  be  confined  to 
those  enlisting  themselves  for  an  extended  term  of  actual  service, 
and  should  not  include  the  ordinary  militia."  He  was  opposed 
to  towns'  paying  bounties  to  men  enlisting  in  local  companies, 
and  to  all  costly  and  inefficient  modes  of  organizing  and  disci 
plining  troops.  His  recommendations  to  the  Legislature  met 
with  unanimous  approval,  as  the  patriotic  and  judicious  acts 
passed  at  this  brief  session  abundantly  prove.  Near  the  close 
of  his  address,  the  Governor  paid  the  following  merited  tribute 
to  the  services  and  worth  of  the  then  commanding  General  of 
the  United-States  armv  :  — 


THE  GOVERNOR'S  ADDRESS.  173 

"  For  myself,  I  entertain  a  most  cordial  trust  in  the  ardor  and 
patriotism  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  and  his  Cabinet, 
and  of  the  venerable  head  of  the  American  army,  whose  long  and 
eminent  career  has  given  him  a  place  second  to  no  living  captain  of 
our  time.  True  to  his  allegiance  to  his  country  and  to  himself,  may 
he  long  be  spared  to  serve  his  countrymen,  and  to  enjoy  their  gratitude  ! 
and  though  white  the  marble,  and  tall  the  aspiring  shaft,  which  posterity 
will  rear  to  record  his  fame,  his  proudest  monument  will  be  their 
affectionate  memory  of  a  life  grand  in  the  service  of  peace,  not  less  than 
of  war,  preserving  in  their  hearts  for  ever  the  name  of  WINFIELD 
SCOTT." 

He  spoke  also  in  fitting  words  of  the  generous  sympathy  and 
munificent  gifts  of  the  entire  people  for  the  soldiers  and  their 
cause,  which  came  "from  every  department  of  social,  business, 
and  religious  life  ;  from  every  age,  sex,  and  condition  of  our 
community;  by  gifts,  by  toil,  by  skill,  and  handwork;  out  of 
the  basket  and  the  store,  and  out  of  the  full  hearts  of  the  com 
munity,  —  they  have  poured  through  countless  channels  of 
benevolence." 

In  concluding,  he  asks,  — 

"  But  how  shall  I  record  the  great  and  sublime  uprising  of  the 
people,  devoting  themselves,  their  lives,  their  all  ?  No  creative 
art  has  ever  woven  into  song  a  story  more  tender  in  its  pathos,  or 
more  stirring  to  the  martial  blood,  than  the  scenes  just  enacted,  passing 
before  our  eyes  in  the  villages  and  towns  of  our  dear  old  Common 
wealth.  Henceforth  be  silent,  ye  cavillers  at  NEW-ENGLAND 
thrift,  economy,  and  peaceful  toil !  Henceforth  let  no  one  dare  accuse 
our  Northern  sky,  our  icy  winters,  or  our  granite  hills !  '  Oh,  what  a 
glorious  morning  !'  was  the  exulting  cry  of  SAMUEL  ADAMS,  as  he, 
excluded  from  royal  grace,  heard  the  sharp  musketry,  which,  on  the 
dawn  of  the  19th  of  April,  1775,  announced  the  beginning  of  the  war 
of  Independence.  The  yeomanry  who  in  1775,  on  Lexington  Common, 
and  on  the  banks  of  CONCORD  RIVER  first  made  that  day  immor 
tal  in  our  annals,  have  found  their  lineal  representatives  in  the 
historic  regiment,  which,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1861,  in  the  streets  of 
Baltimore,  baptized  our  flag  anew  in  heroic  blood,  when  Massachusetts 
marched  once  more  '  in  the  sacred  cause  of  liberty  and  the  rights  of 
mankind.'1 " 

Before  passing  from  the  consideration  of  this  remarkable 
address,  we  would  refer  to  the  following  paragraph,  which  illus- 


174  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

trates  so  well  the  liberal  and  just  mind  of  the  author,  —  we  mean 
his  defence  of  the  right  of  citizens  to  freely  discuss  the  acts  of 
public  men  and  the  policy  of  government :  — 

"  Let  us  never,"  he  said,  "  under  any  conceivable  circumstances  of 
provocation  or  indignation,  forget  that  the  right  of  free  discussion  of  all 
public  questions  is  guaranteed  to  every  individual  on  Massachusetts 
soil,  by  the  settled  convictions  of  her  people,  by  the  habits  of  her 
successive  generations,  and  by  express  provisions  of  her  Constitution. 
And  let  us  therefore  never  seek  to  repress  the  criticism  of  a  minority, 
however  small,  upon  the  character  and  conduct  of  any  administration, 
whether  State  or  national." 

It  is  probable  that  the  occurrence  spoken  of  in  the  following 
letter  of  Colonel  Lee  caused  the  Governor  to  incorporate  in  his 
address  the  paragraph  quoted  :  — 

BOSTON,  May  13. 
Messrs.  CATITES,  HESCOCK,  BIRD,  and  others,  Quincy  Market. 

DEAR  SIRS,  —  The  Sunday  papers  report  the  extortion  of  one 
hundred  dollars  from  a  produce-dealer  named  Walker,  who  seriously 
arid  jestingly  expressed  sympathy  with  the  secessionists,  and  hoped 
that  our  troops  would  starve.  The  receipt  of  this  money  casts  a  slur 
upon  the  reputation  of  our  State,  and  upon  the  sincerity  of  all  the 
generous  men  who  freely  contributed.  It  must  be  returned  at  once,  or 
we  are  disgraced :  our  cause  is  too  good  to  be  injured  with  illegal 
violence.  While  we  fight  for  liberty  and  the  law,  let  us  respect  them 
ourselves.  I  feel  sure,  upon  reflection,  you  will  agree  with  the 
Governor  on  the  subject. 

Yours  truly,  HENRY  LEE,  A.  D.  C. 

When  the  Governor  concluded  his  address,  the  Senate  re 
turned  to  its  chamber,  and  the  two  branches  entered  at  once  upon 
the  business  of  the  session. 

In  the  Senate,  on  the  same  day,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Stone, 
of  Essex,  it  was  voted,  that  a  committee  of  seven  on  the  part 
of  the  Senate,  and  fifteen  on  the  part  of  the  House,  be  appointed, 
to  whom  the  address  of  the  Governor,  and  the  accompanying 
documents,  should  be  referred.  The  motion  was  adopted  :  and 
the  committee  appointed  on  the  part  of  the  Senate  were  Messrs. 
Stone  of  Essex,  Bonney  of  Middlesex,  Northend  of  Essex, 
Rogers  of  Suffolk,  Davis  of  Bristol,  Walker  of  Middlesex,  and 
Cole  of  Berkshire  ;  on  the  part  of  the  House,  Messrs.  Bullock 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    THE    LEGISLATURE.  175 

of  Worcester,  Calhoun  of  Springfield,  Branning  of  Lee,  Davis 
of  Greenfield,  Tyler  of  Boston,  Coffin  of  Newburyport,  Peirce  of 
Dorchester,  Peirce  of  New  Bedford,  Jewell  of  Boston,  Gifford 
of  Provincetown,  Clark  of  Lowell,  Kimball  of  Lynn,  Mer- 
riam  of  Fitchburg,  Bamfield  of  West  Roxbury,  and  Hyde 
of  Newton. 

Mr.  Northend,  of  Essex,  introduced  a  bill  of  eighteen  sections, 
entitled  "  a  bill  to  provide  for  the  disciplining  and  instruction  of 
a  military  force." 

Petitions  were  presented  of  James  W.  White,  and  eighty 
others  of  Grafton,  and  of  the  commissioned  officers  of  the 
Twelfth  Regiment  of  Infantry  (Colonel  Webster),  severally  for 
an  act  to  legalize  the  appropriations  of  cities  and  towns  in 
behalf  of  the  volunteer  militia,  and  for  other  purposes. 

Referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Judiciary. 

May  15.  In  the  Senate. — Petition  of  Robert  Morris  and 
seventy-one  others,  for  a  law  authorizing  colored  men  to  form 
military  companies  ;  of  John  Wells  and  others,  of  Chicopee,  for 
a  law  to  allow  cities  and  towns  to  raise  money  for  the  support 
of  volunteers  and  their  families. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Carter,  of  Hampden,  a  joint  committee  was 
appointed  to  consider  the  expediency  of  tendering  the  service  of 
members  of  the  Legislature  free  of  expense. 

Mr.  Stone,  of  Essex,  reported  a  bill  regulating  drill  com 
panies,  also  in  favor  of  the  bill  for  the  establishment  of  a  home 
guard.  On  motion  of  Mr.  Boynton,  of  Worcester,  it  was 
voted,  that  the  joint  special  committee  on  the  Governor's 
address  consider  the  expediency  of  providing  by  law  for  the 
expense  of  improving  and  drilling  the  volunteer  companies,  and 
also  of  re-imbursing  such  expenditure  of  money  as  towns 
and  military  companies  have  incurred  for  such  purposes. 

Mr.  Northend,  of  Essex,  reported  his  bill  from  the  joint 
committee  to  provide  for  the  discipline  and  instruction  of  a 
military  force. 

The  same  gentleman,  from  the  same  committee,  introduced  a 
bill  "in  aid  of  the  families  of  volunteers."  Mr.  Stone,  of 
Essex,  from  the  same  committee,  reported  a  bill  to  enable  banks 
to  purchase  government  securities. 


176  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Li  the  House,  Mr.  Bullock,  of  Worcester,  from  the  same 
committee,  reported  a  bill  "  to  provide  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
Union  and  Constitution." 

Also  a  bill  to  repeal  the  act  of  the  previous  session  "to 
authorize  the  Treasurer  and  Receiver-General  to  indorse  the 
notes  of  the  United  States." 

And,  under  a  suspension  of  the  rules,  these  bills  passed  to 
a  third  reading. 

May  16.  In  the  Senate.  —  The  Senate  discussed  the  bill  in 
aid  of  the  families  of  volunteers.  Several  amendments  were 
offered,  after  which  it  was  recommitted.  The  bill  for  the  or 
ganization  of  a  home  guard  was  passed  to  be  engrossed. 

A  bill  to  regulate  drill  companies  was  opposed  by  Mr. 
Rogers,  of  Suffolk,  and  Mr.  Battles,  of  Worcester,  and  re 
jected. 

The  bill  to  enable  banks  to  purchase  Government  securities, 
under  a  suspension  of  the  rules,  was  passed  to  be  enacted.  Mr. 
Whiting,  of  Plymouth,  moved  an  amendment  to  limit  the  pur 
chase  to  fifteen  per  cent  of  their  capital  stock.  Lost. 

The  bill  to  provide  for  the  discipline  and  instruction  of  a 
military  force  was  amended,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Schouler,  of 
Middlesex,  to  limit  the  force  to  five  thousand  men,  instead  of 
three  thousand.  The  bill  and  the  amendment  were  then  re 
committed. 

In  the  Senate.  Afternoon  Session. — On  motion  of  Mr. 
Hardy,  of  Norfolk,  the  act  to  provide  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  Union  and  the  Constitution  was  taken  up.  An  amend 
ment  was  proposed  by  Mr.  Clark,  of  Middlesex,  to  strike  out 
the  clause  ratifying  the  acts  done  by  the  Governor  and  Council 
in  any  way  connected  with  the  disbursements  made  by  them,  &c. 
Mr.  Whiting,  of  Plymouth,  favored  the  amendment ;  but  it  was 
rejected,  —  yeas  10,  nays  11.  The  bill  was  then  passed  to  be 
engrossed. 

The  bill  authorizing  the  issue  of  State  scrip  to  the  amount  of 
seven  millions  of  dollars  was  passed  unanimously,  by  a  yea  and 
nay  vote. 

The  bill  for  the  discipline  and  instruction  of  a  military  force 
was  reported,  providing  for  five  regiments  of  infantry  and  one 


DEBATE    ON    RIGHTS    OF    COLORED    MEN.  177 

battery  of  artillery,  to  be  sent  to  camp  ;   and,  in  this  form,  it 
passed  to  be  engrossed. 

The  Special  Committee  reported,  that  the  petitions  of  J.  Sella 
Martin,  and  Eobert  Morris  and  others,  to  strike  out  the  word 
"  white "  in  the  militia  laws,  be  referred  to  the  next  General 
Court. 

In  the  House.  —  A  petition  of  John  T.  Hilton  and  twenty- 
two  others,  colored  citizens  of  Massachusetts,  that  the  word 
"white"  be  stricken  from  the  militia  laws,  was  laid  on  the 
table. 

The  Senate  report  referring  the  petitions  of  J.  Sella  Martin 
and  Eobert  Morris  and  others,  to  the  next  General  Court,  was 
opposed  by  Mr.  Slack,  of  Boston,  who  spoke  in  favor  of  striking 
out  the  word  "white"  from  the  militia  laws.  He  said  the 
colored  men  were  anxious  to  serve  their  country,  and  that  no 
law  should  be  enacted  to  prevent  them. 

Mr.  Hammond,  of  Nahant,  spoke  in  favor  of  accepting  the 
report. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Albee,  of  Maryborough,  the  question  on 
receiving  the  report  was  taken  by  yeas  and  nays.  The  report 
was  accepted,  —  yeas  119,  nays  81. 

The  Senate  bill  to  enable  banks  to  purchase  Government  secu 
rities  was  passed  to  be  engrossed,  under  a  supension  of  the 
rules. 

The  Senate  bill  for  the  organization  of  a  home  guard  was 
passed  to  be  engrossed,  without  opposition. 

May  17.  In  the  Senate.  —  Mr.  Whiting,  of  Plymouth, 
moved  a  reconsideration  of  the  vote  whereby  the  petition  of  J. 
Sella  Martin,  Robert  Morris,  and  others,  was  referred  to  the 
next  General  Court.  Placed  in  the  orders  of  the  day. 

In  the  House.  —  A  petition  was  presented  by  B.  C.  Sargent, 
Mayor  of  Lowell,  and  a  committee  of  the  City  Council  of  Low 
ell,  for  State  aid  in  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  Luther  C. 
Ladd  and  Addison  O.  Whitney,  who  fell  at  Baltimore,  April 
19.  Referred. 

Mr.  Jewell,  of  Boston,  from  the  Special  Committee,  reported 
a  bill  "to  provide  for  a  sinking  fund." 

May  18.     In  the   Senate.  —  The  motion  to  reconsider  the 

12 


178  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

vote  referring  the  petition  of  J.  Sella  Martin,  Robert  Morris, 
and  others,  to  the  next  General  Court,  was  advocated  by 
Mr.  Whiting,  of  Plymouth,  who  said  this  was  not  a  time  to 
make  invidious  distinctions  between  the  different  classes  of 
citizens. 

Mr.  Cole,  of  Berkshire,  spoke  in  opposition. 

The  vote  stood,  for  reconsideration,  11  ;   against  it,  22. 

In  the  House.  —  Mr.  Stebbins,  of  Boston,  asked  and  ob 
tained  leave  to  introduce  a  bill,  "  withholding  certain  aid  from 
the  people  in  the  so-called  seceded  States,"  which  was  referred 
to  the  Special  Committee. 

Mr.  Drew,  of  Dorchester,  asked  leave  to  introduce  a  bill  to 
strike  out  the  word  "white"  from  the  militia  laws.  Leave  was 
refused,  —  yeas  56,  nays  139. 

May  20.  In  the  Senate.  —  Almost  the  entire  day  was  oc 
cupied  in  debating  the  bill  "  in  aid  of  the  families  of  volunteers." 
A  number  of  amendments  were  proposed,  some  of  which  were 
adopted,  others  rejected.  The  bill,  as  amended,  was  ordered 
to  a  third  reading.  Laid  on  the  table,  and  ordered  to  be 
printed. 

In  the  House.  —  Mr.  Bullock,  of  Worcester,  from  the  Joint 
Special  Committee,  reported  "resolves  concerning  the  present 
crisis"  (five  in  number). 

A  debate  arose  upon  ordering  them  to  be  printed,  in  the 
course  of  which  Mr.  Durfee,  of  New  Bedford,  said  the  resolves 
could  not  be  fairly  understood  by  the  House  from  merely  hear 
ing  them  read.  lie  wished  to  see  them  in  print. 

Mr.  Drew,  of  Dorchester,  spoke  at  length.  In  the  course  of 
his  speech,  he  attacked  General  Butler,  for  offering,  to  the  Gov 
ernor  of  Maryland,  Massachusetts  soldiers  to  put  down  a  slave 
rebellion.  lie  said  the  war  was  a  means  of  emancipation,  and 
complained  of  the  Legislature  for  retaining  the  word  "  white  " 
in  the  militia  laws,  which  forbids  a  portion  of  our  people  from 
taking  part  in  the  struggle. 

Mr.  Stevens,  of  Boston,  could  not  see  any  thing  objection 
able  in  the  resolutions,  and  was  in  favor  of  their  immediate 
passage. 

The  resolves  were  ordered  to  be  printed. 


PROCEEDING    OF    THE    LEGISLATURE.  179 

May  21.  In  the  Senate.  —  The  whole  of  the  forenoon  ses 
sion  was  taken  up  in  discussing  and  amending  the  bill  "  in  aid 
of  the  families  of  volunteers."  It  finally  passed  to  be  engrossed, 
—  yeas  27,  nays  7. 

The  resolves  from  the  House,  "concerning  the  present  crisis," 
were  discussed  in  the  Senate  a  great  part  of  the  afternoon  ses 
sion,  but,  before  taking  the  question,  were  laid  on  the  table,  to 
allow  a  committee  to  be  appointed  to  wait  upon  the  Governor, 
and  request  him  to  return  the  bill  "  for  the  organization  of  a 
home  guard." 

The  committee  subsequently  reported,  that  they  had  returned 
with  the  bill ;  when,  on  motion  of  Mr.  Stone,  of  Essex,  the  vote 
whereby  the  bill  was  passed,  was  reconsidered  ;  and  on  motion 
of  Mr.  Boynton,  of  Worcester,  it  was  referred  to  the  Commit 
tee  on  the  Judiciary. 

In  the  House.  —  Mr.  Jewell,  of  Boston,  from  the  Joint 
Special  Committee,  reported  "a  bill  in  addition  to  an  act  for 
the  maintenance  of  the  Union  and  the  Constitution,"  which  was 
passed  to  be  engrossed,  under  a  suspension  of  the  rules. 

Mr.  Branning,  of  Lee,  from  the  same  committee,  reported 
that  the  bill  offered  by  Mr.  Stebbins,  "  withholding  certain  aid 
from  the  people  of  the  so-called  seceded  States,"  ought  not  to 
pass. 

The  resolves  concerning  the  present  crisis  were  taken  up,  dis 
cussed,  and  ordered  to  be  engrossed. 

Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  introduced  a  bill  authorizing  the 
Governor  to  pay  the  company  of  Cadets  of  Boston  for  guard 
duty  at  the  State  Arsenal  at  Cambridge,  and  at  Captain's  Island  ; 
also,  the  Second  Battalion,  for  garrison  duty  at  Fort  Warren, 
and  the  Fourth  Battalion,  for  garrison  duty  at  Fort  Independ 
ence,  one  dollar  a  day,  including  rations  to  each  man  while  in 
service  ;  which  was  referred  to  Special  Committee  on  Governor's 
Address. 

The  bill  withholding  certain  aid  from  the  people  of  the  so- 
called  seceded  States  was  taken  up,  and,  after  being  amended, 
was  passed  to  be  engrossed. 

The  bill  giving  aid  to  the  families  of  volunteers  was  dis 
cussed,  amended,  and  passed  to  a  third  reading. 


180  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Wednesday,  May  22.  In  the  Senate.  —  On  motion  of  Mr. 
Northern!,  of  Essex,  the  bill  to  provide  for  the  discipline  and 
instruction  of  a  militia  force  was  taken  from  the  table,  —  the 
question  being  on  passing  it  to  be  enacted. 

Mr.  Bonney,  of  Middlesex,  opposed  the  bill.  He  said  that 
it  authorized  the  Governor  to  order  into  camp  a  military  force  of 
not  less  than  six  thousand  men.  It  provided  for  nothing  less 
than  a  standing  army,  for  an  unlimited  period.  It  conferred 
upon  the  Governor  a  power  which  the  sovereigns  of  England 
and  France  did  not  possess  over  their  troops. 

Mr.  Northend  spoke  briefly  in  support  of  the  bill,  after  which, 
no  amendment  being  in  order,  the  bill  was  passed  to  be  enacted, 
—  yeas  27,  nays  2. 

Mr.  Northend  then  moved  to  take  from  the  table  the  resolves 
concerning  the  present  crisis,  which  motion  was  rejected,  — yeas 
10,  nays  24. 

The  House  bill,  entitled  an  act  "  withholding  certain  aid  from 
the  people  of  the  so-called  seceded  States,"  was  rejected. 

Mr.  Stone,  of  Essex,  from  the  Committee  on  the  Judiciary, 
reported,  in  a  new  draft,  "  a  bill  to  provide  for  a  home  guard," 
which,  under  a  suspension  of  the  rules,  was  ordered  to  be  en 
grossed. 

In  the  afternoon  session,  Mr.  Whiting,  of  Plymouth,  moved 
a  reconsideration  of  the  vote  by  which  the  bill  "  withholding  cer 
tain  aid  from  the  people  in  the  so-called  seceded  States  "  was  re 
jected,  which  was  placed  in  the  orders  of  the  day. 

In  the  House.  —  The  bill  for  aid  to  the  families  of  volunteers 
was  discussed  in  the  morning  session,  until  adjournment;  with 
out  taking  the  question,  several  amendments  were  offered. 

lu  the  afternoon,  a  petition  was  received  from  Robert  Morris 
and  sixty-three  other  colored  citizens,  for  leave  to  form  a 
home  guard.  Referred  to  the  Committee  on  the  Militia. 

Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  reported  that  the  bill  to  pay  for 
the  services  of  the  Cadets,  and  other  militia  organizations,  for 
services,  ought  not  to  pass,  as  payment  had  been  provided  in 
another  bill. 

The  bill  giving  aid  to  the  families  of  volunteers  was  passed  to 
be  engrossed. 


DEBATE    CONCERNING    COLORED    CITIZENS.  181 

Also,  the  Senate  bill  to  organize  a  home  guard. 

May  23.  In  the  Senate.  —  Mr.  Davis,  of  Bristol,  intro 
duced  a  series  of  resolutions  "  on  the  national  crisis ; "  but 
as  they  were  opposed  by  Messrs.  Northend  of  Essex,  Bonney 
of  Middlesex,  Battles  of  Worcester,  Cole  of  Berkshire,  Carter 
of  Hampden,  and  Boynton  of  Worcester,  Mr.  Davis  reluct 
antly  withdrew  them. 

The  resolves  which  had  been  rejected  in  the  House,  "  in  re 
gard  to  the  rights  of  citizens,"  elicited  a  warm  debate.  Mr. 
Schouler,  of  Middlesex,  spoke  in  favor  of  the  resolves.  He 
could  not  see  the  objection  to  this  act  of  simple  justice  to  the 
colored  man. 

Mr.  Northend  asked  what  good  the  passage  of  these  resolu 
tions  would  do  in  the  present  crisis.  Would  it  strengthen  the 
hands  of  the  Administration  ?  No  :  no  one  believed  that  it 
would.  It  would  embarrass  them. 

Mr.  Bonney,  of  Middlesex,  was  not  opposed  to  the  sentiments 
of  the  resolves  ;  but  he  did  not  believe  it  was  expedient  to  in 
struct  our  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress  at  this 
time. 

Mr.  Davis,  of  Bristol,  said  it  was  always  safe  to  do  right. 
He  should  vote  for  the  resolves. 

Mr.  Schouler  said  we  were  afraid  all  the  time  of  doing  some 
thing  that  would  hurt  the  feelings  of  the  South.  The  resolves 
were  then  passed  to  a  third  reading,  —  yeas  18,  nays  12. 

On  their  passage  to  be  engrossed,  Mr.  Cole,  of  Berkshire, 
and  Mr.  Hardy,  of  Norfolk,  spoke  in  opposition.  They  were 
then  passed  to  be  engrossed,  —  yeas  17,  nays  13,  —  and  were 
sent  back  to  the  House. 

In  the  House.  —  Mr.  Durfee,  of  New  Bedford,  from  the 
Committee  on  the  Militia,  reported  that  the  petition  of  Robert 
Morris  and  others  be  referred  to  the  Joint  Special  Com 
mittee. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Slocum,  the  report  and  accompanying 
papers  were  laid  on  the  table. 

Mr.  Durfee,  of  New  Bedford,  introduced  resolutions  in  rela 
tion  to  the  rights  of  colored  citizens,  which  were  referred  to  the 
Special  Committee.  Subsequently,  Mr.  Davis,  of  Greenfield, 


182  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

from  the  committee,  reported,  that,  in  view  of  the  exigencies  of 
public  affairs,  and  the  near  approach  of  the  close  of  the  session, 
the  resolves  ought  not  to  pass.  He  deemed  it  unwise  to  legis 
late  on  a  minor  point  of  the  controversy,  when  the  fact  is,  the 
battle  for  the  black  man  is  being  fought  every  day,  and  will  be 
fought  on  battle-fields  yet  unknown. 

Mr.  Albee,  of  Marlborough,  spoke  in  favor  of  the  re 
solves. 

Mr.  Slack,  of  Boston,  recurred  to  the  days  of  the  Revolu 
tion,  when  the  deeds  of  the  colored  citizens  were  the  subject  of 
the  highest  marks  of  approval. 

Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  advocated  the  passage  of  the  re 
solve,  and  read  the  words  of  General  Andrew  Jackson  in  com 
mendation  of  the  bravery  of  the  colored  battalions  at  New 
Orleans,  in  the  war  of  1812. 

Mr.  Branning,  of  Lee,  had  always  been,  and  was  now,  in 
favor  of  the  rights  of  colored  men  ;  but  he  did  not  think  it  was 
wise  to  pass  these  resolves  at  the  present  time. 

The  vote  to  accept  the  report  that  the  resolves  ought  not  to 
pass  was  then  taken,  —  yeas  78,  nays  69. 

The  following  was  the  principal  resolution  :  — 

"  Resolved,  That  our  Senators  in  Congress  be  instructed,  and  our 
Representatives  requested,  to  use  their  utmost  efforts  to  secure  the  re 
peal  of  any  and  all  laws  which,  deprive  any  class  of  loyal  subjects  of 
the  Government  from  bearing  arms  for  the  common  defence." 

On  assembling  in  the  afternoon,  a  committee  of  the  two 
branches  was  appointed  to  inform  the  Governor  that  the  Houses 
were  ready  to  be  prorogued. 

The  House  then  took  a  recess  of  an  hour.  On  re-assembling, 
at  three  o'clock,  the  resolves  in  relation  to  the  rights  of  colored 
citizens  carne  down  from  the  Senate,  adopted. 

Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  moved  a  suspension  of  the  rules, 
that  they  might  be  considered  at  once. 

Mr.  Bullock,  of  Worcester,  made  an  earnest  argument  against 
suspending  the  rules,  and  against  passing  the  resolves.  He 
avowed  his  willingness  to  remove  every  vestige  of  disability  from 
the  colored  citizens,  and,  in  a  proper  time,  he  hoped  to  see  it. 


DEBATE. RIGHTS    OF    COLORED    MEN.  183 

This  was  not  the  time.  Twenty-three  sovereign  States  are  a  unit 
in  this  conflict.  He  who  would  now  cast  a  firebrand  amon«- 

o 

the  ranks  of  the  united  North  and  West  and  the  Border  States, 
will  initiate  a  calamity,  the  extent  of  which  will  be  appalling 
and  inconceivable.  Let  us  cultivate  unity  and  union.  Let  us 
frown  upon  every  element  of  distraction  and  weakness  and  dis 
cord.  "I  am  therefore  willing,"  said  he,  ?fto  place  my  name 
in  the  negative  upon  an  imperishable  record,  believing  that  I  am 
doing  a  service  to  my  beloved  arid  imperilled  country." 

After  further  remarks  by  Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  the  pre 
vious  question  was  moved  ;  and  the  House  refused  to  suspend 
the  rules,  by  a  yea  and  nay  vote  of  74  to  69.  Two-thirds  not 
voting  for  suspension,  the  motion  was  lost.  The  resolves  then 
went  into  the  orders  of  the  day. 

Mr.  Slack,  of  Boston,  moved  that  a  committee  be  appointed 
to  wait  upon  the  Governor,  and  request  him  to  postpone,  for  the 
present,  the  prorogation  of  the  Legislature. 

During  his  remarks,  the  Secretary  of  State  wras  announced, 
writh  a  message  from  the  Governor,  that  his  Excellency  had  pro 
rogued  the  Legislature,  according  to  request. 

The  Legislature  was  then  prorogued,  and  the  resolves  were 
left  among  the  unfinished  business  in  the  orders  of  the  day. 

We  have  given  prominence  to  the  debate  upon  these  resolves, 
as  it  reflects  the  opinions  of  members  at  that  period  in  regard  to 
the  rights  of  colored  men.  This  was  undoubtedly  the  first 
debate  in  the  war  touching  the  right  of  colored  men  to  bear 
arms,  and  the  expediency  of  employing  them  as  soldiers  to  put 
down  the  rebellion.  The  resolutions  passed  the  Senate  ;  and,  if 
the  vote  in  the  House  to  suspend  the  rules  was  a  test  of  the  opin 
ions  of  the  members,  the  resolutions  would  have  also  passed  the 
House,  had  it  remained  another  day  in  session. 

The  following  is  an  abstract  of  the   laws  which  bear  upon 

£5 

our  subject,   passed  in  this  session  :  — 

First.  An  act  to  provide  a  sinking  fund.  The  Treasurer 
is  to  report,  on  Jan.  1,  1863,  the  amount  of  all  scrip,  or  cer 
tificates  of  debt,  of  the  United  States,  which  shall  have  been 
received  by  this  Commonwealth  from  the  United  States,  under 
provisions  of  acts  of  the  Legislature,  and  the  actual  market- 


184  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    KEBELLION. 

price  of  the  same  at  the  date  of  such  report ;  and  the  same 
shall  be  pledged  and  held  as  part  of  the  sinking  fund  hereby 
created,  the  same  to  be  applied  for  the  redemption  of  the  debt. 
It  also  provides,  that  there  shall  be  raised,  by  tax,  twice  in  each 
year,  commencing  Jan.  1,  1863,  a  sum  equal  to  one-tenth  part 
of  the  difference  found  by  the  report  of  the  Treasurer,  as  above 
provided,  to  exist  between  the  amount  of  scrip,  or  certificates  of 
debt,  issued  under  said  acts,  and  the  actual  market-value  of  the 
scrip  or  certificates,  and  to  be  held  as  a  sinking  fund  to  pay  the 
same.  Approved  May  21,  1866. 

Second.  An  act  to  enable  banks  to  purchase  Government 
securities  provided  that  loans  directly  made  by  any  bank  to  the 
Commonwealth  or  to  the  United  States,  and  notes  or  scrip  of 
the  Commonwealth  or  United  States,  held  by  any  bank,  and 
directly  purchased  by  such  bank  from  the  Commonwealth  or 
United  States,  shall  not  be  deemed  debts  due  within  the  mean 
ing  of  the  twenty-fifth  section  of  the  fifty-seventh  chapter  of  the 
General  Statutes. 

Third.  An  act  to  provide  for  the  maintenance  of  the  Union 
and  the  Constitution  confirmed  and  ratified  all  that  the  Gov 
ernor,  Executive  Council,  or  any  other  person,  with  his  or  their 
sanction,  had  done  in  furnishing  and  forwarding  troops  for  the 
service  of  the  Government.  It  vested  the  Governor,  with  the  ad 
vice  of  the  Council,  with  full  power  and  authority,  as  he  might 
deem  best,  to  provide  for  additional  troops,  and  also  to  appoint 
and  commission  all  needful  officers  and  agents,  and  to  fix  their 
rank  and  pay  ;  also,  to  investigate,  adjust,  and  settle  all  accounts 
and  matters  between  the  State  and  the  General  Government, 
which  might  arise  under  the  provisions  of  this  act;  also,  to  pay, 
out  of  the  fund  created  by  this  act,  any  of  the  troops  of  this 
Commonwealth  which  had  been  or  might  be  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  during  the  whole  or  a  part  of 
the  time  of  such  service,  and  to  settle  the  same  with  the  United 
States  :  also,  created  a  fund,  to  be  called  the  Union  Fund,  of 
three  millions  of  dollars,  to  be  raised  by  the  issue  of  scrip. 
The  scrip  to  bear  interest  of  six  per  cent,  to  be  redeemable  in 
not  less  than  ten,  nor  more  than  twenty,  years  from  the  first  of 
July,  1861  ;  and  not  more  than  five  hundred  thousand  dollars 
shall  be  redeemable  in  any  one  year. 


LAWS    PASSED   FOR   THE    SOLDIERS.  185 

Fourth.  An  act  entitled  an  act  in  addition  to  the  act  for  the 
maintenance  of  the  Union  and  the  Constitution,  gave  the  Gov 
ernor,  with  the  advice  of  the  Council,  power  to  issue  scrip  or 
certificates  in  the  name  and  in  the  behalf  of  the  Commonwealth, 
for  sums  not  exceeding,  in  the  aggregate,  seven  millions  of  dol 
lars. 

Fifth.  An  act  further  in  addition  thereto  authorized  the 
Governor,  with  the  advice  of  the  Council,  to  pay  from  the 
Union  Fund  any  of  the  troops  of  the  Commonwealth,  mus 
tered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  from  the  time  that 
they  reported  themselves  for  service  until  they  were  mustered 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States. 

Sixth.  An  act  to  provide  for  the  discipline  and  instruction 
of  a  military  force  empowered  the  Governor,  with  the  consent 
of  the  Council,  to  establish  one  or  more  camps  in  suitable 
places  within  the  Commonwealth,  for  the  instruction  and  disci 
pline  of  a  military  force,  not  to  exceed  five  regiments  of  in 
fantry,  and  one  battery  of  six  pieces  of  artillery,  at  any  one 
time  ;  for  which  tents,  camp-equipage,  and  other  necessary  arti 
cles,  were  to  be  furnished  by  the  State. 

The  Governor  was  also  empowered  to  rent  land  for  such  camp 
purposes. 

No  companies  or  regiments  were  to  be  placed  in  such  camps 
until  all  the  members  should  agree  to  be  mustered  into  the 
United-States  service,  on  such  terms  as  the  President  should 
direct  in  his  calls  for  volunteers.  The  entire  formation,  organi 
zation,  drill,  and  discipline  of  these  forces  was  to  conform  as 
near  as  possible  to  the  regular  army,  and  be  subject  to  the  rules 
and  articles  for  governing  militia  in  actual  service. 

Each  camp  was  to  be  under  the  command  of  a  suitable 
officer  appointed  by  the  Governor,  and  subordinate  only  to 
him.  He  had  the  power  to  recommend,  and  the  Governor 
to  commission,  such  subordinate  camp  officers  as  might  be 
proper ;  the  pay  and  rank  of  such  officers  to  be  fixed  by  the 
Governor.  The  authority  of  the  officers  commanding  these 
camps  might  be  extended  by  the  Governor  one-fourth  of  a  mile 
beyond  the  limits  of  the  camp  ;  and  certain  rules  and  regulations 
were  to  be  made  for  the  admission  of  visitors. 


186  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  privates,  when  in  camp,  were  to  receive  the  same  pay  as 
privates  in  the  regular  service  ;  and  the  officers  were  to  receive 
such  pay  as  the  Governor  and  Council  might  determine,  pro 
vided  that  the  pay  of  no  officer  should  exceed  that  of  a  captain 
in  the  regular  army.  The  officers  and  men  to  be  paid  once  a 
month. 

The  Governor,  with  the  consent  of  the  Council,  could  appoint 
and  fix  the  pay  of  a  suitable  person  for  paymaster,  to  pay  the 
men  in  the  camps,  he  giving  bonds  and  securities  for  the  proper 
discharge  of  his  duties. 

The  regimental  and  line  officers  were  to  be  chosen  and  COm- 
ci 

missioned  as  provided  for  by  the  militia  laws  of  the  Common 
wealth. 

Seventh.  "An  act  in  aid  of  the  families  of  volunteers,  and 
for  other  purposes,"  contained  eight  sections,  and  was  one  of 
the  most  humane  and  admirable  passed  during  the  war.  It 
provided,  — 

1st,  That  any  town  or  city  might  raise  money  by  taxation, 
and  apply  the  same  for  aid  of  the  wife,  and  of  the  children 
under  sixteen  years  of  age,  of  any  volunteer  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States  to  the  credit  of  Massachusetts,  and 
for  each  parent,  brother,  sister,  or  child,  who,  at  the  time  of  his 
enlistment,  was  dependent  on  him  for  support. 

2d,  The  sum  so  paid  or  applied  should  be  annually  re-im- 
bursed  from  the  State  treasury  to  such  city  and  town,  provided 
it  did  not  exceed  one  dollar  a  week  for  the  wife,  and  one  dollar 
for  each  child  or  parent  of  such  soldier ;  provided  that  the 
whole  sum  for  the  family  and  parents  of  each  soldier  did  not  in 
the  aggregate  exceed  twelve  dollars  a  month. 

The  act  also  provided,  that  any  town  or  city  might  raise 
money  by  taxation  to  defray  any  expense  already  incurred,  or  to 
carry  out  any  contracts  heretofore  made  with  any  of  its  inhabi 
tants  who  might  have  enlisted  in  the  volunteer  service,  or  who 
may  have  been  or  might  be  called  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States  ;  but  all  other  contracts  in  the  militia  should  terminate  in 
ninety  days. 

The  act  also  provided,  that  any  city  or  town,  "when  danger 
from  attack  from  the  sea  is  apprehended,  is  authorized  to 


DEPARTURE  OF  SIX  VOLUNTEER  REGIMENTS.      187 

organize  an  armed  police  to  guard  against  such  an  attack,  and 
may  provide  by  taxation  to  maintain  the  same."  Such  police 
might  act  in  any  part  of  the  county  within  which  city  or  town 
might  be  situated. 

The  act  provided  for  the  "  discipline  and  instruction  of  the 
military  forces,"  and  gave  the  Governor  the  power  to  appoint 
such  staff  officers  as  he  might  consider  necessary,  which  power 
continued  in  force  until  the  end  of  the  war. 

After  the  six  regiments  first  called  for  by  the  Secretary  of 
War  for  three  years'  service  had  left  the  State,  and  ten  more 
had  been  accepted,  a  constant  demand  was  made  upon  the  State 
until  the  close  of  the  Rebellion,  for  all  the  troops  that  could  be 
raised,  which  were  sent  forward  to  the  front  as  they  were 
organized.  Therefore  the  establishment  of  a  State  camp,  as 
contemplated  by  the  act  of  the  Legislature,  for  drill  and  organ 
ization,  was  never  established  ;  but,  instead  thereof,  temporary 
camps  were  formed  in  different  parts  of  the  State  to  accommo 
date  the  local  demand.  Thus  it  was,  that  the  First  Regiment, 
Colonel  Cowdin,  which  was  recruited  in  Boston  and  its  imme 
diate  vicinity,  was  sent  to  "Camp  Cameron"  in  North  Cam 
bridge,  where  it  remained  until  June  15,  when  it  was  ordered 
to  Washington.  The  Second  Regiment,  which  was  recruited  by 
Colonel  Gordon,  and  officers  under  his  command,  established  a 
camp  in  West  Roxbury,  which  was  called  "  Camp  Andrew,"  in 
honor  of  the  Governor. 

Governor  Andrew  determined  that  the  regimental  number 
should  not  be  duplicated  ;  hence  it  was,  that  the  Third,  Fourth, 
Fifth,  and  Sixth  Regiments  should  retain  their  own  designations, 
and  should  not  be  confounded  with  the  three  years'  regiments. 
Therefore  the  next  three  years'  regiment  which  was  recruited  by 
Colonel  Couch  at  "Camp  Old  Colony,"  near  Taunton,  was 
called  the  Seventh  Regiment,  The  Eighth  Regiment,  being  a 
three  months'  regiment,  retained  its  original  number ;  and  the 
next  three  years'  regiment  was  called  the  Ninth  Regiment,  which 
was  composed  of  men  of  Irish  birth,  and  their  immediate  de 
scendants,  and  was  recruited  and  organized  under  the  superin 
tendence  of  Colonel  Thomas  Cass,  at  Long  Island,  in  Boston 


188  MASSACHUSETTS    IX   THE    REBELLION. 

Harbor.  The  Tenth  Regiment  was  recruited  in  the  five 
western  counties,  and  had  its  camp  near  the  city  of  Spring 
field,  until  it  was  fully  organized.  The  Eleventh  Regiment 
was  recruited  in  Boston  and  vicinity  by  Colonel  Clark,  and  was 
placed  at  Fort  Warren,  where  it  was  recruited  to  the  full  standard, 
and  mustered  into  the  service.  These  regiments  completed  the 
quota  under  the  first  requisition  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 
When  leave  was  given  to  send  forward  ten  more  regiments 
spoken  of  in  the  letter  of  General  Walbridge  to  Governor 
Andrew,  measures  were  taken  immediately  to  consolidate  the 
companies  in  different  parts  of  the  State  into  regiments.  The 
first  of  these  was  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  which  was  always 
familiarly  known  as  the  Webster  Regiment,  because  it  was 
recruited  and  organized  by  Colonel  Fletcher  Webster,  who  held 
command  of  it  until  he  was  killed  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  Aug.  30,  1862.  He  fell  gallantly  at  the  head  of  his  regi 
ment,  for  "Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  for  ever,  one  and  insepa 
rable."  The  Twelfth  Regiment  was  recruited  and  organized  at 
Fort  Warren.  It  left  Boston  for  Washington,  July  23,  1861. 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  Fort  Independence. 
The  Fourth  Battalion  of  Rifles  formed  the  nucleus  of  this  regi 
ment.  It  had  been  ordered,  on  the  25th  of  June,  to  garrison 
the  fort;  and,  while  upon  that  duty,  it  was  recruited  to  a  full 
regiment  of  three  years'  volunteers.  Major  Samuel  H.  Leonard 
commanded  the  Fourth  Battalion  ;  and  he  was  commissioned  the 
colonel  of  the  Thirteenth,  the  regiment  having  been  recruited 
by  him.  It  left  the  State  for  the  front  on  the  30th  day  of 
July,  1861,  and  was  stationed  during  the  year  on  the  line  of  the 
Potomac  in  Maryland. 

The  Fourteenth  Regiment  was  recruited  by  Colonel  William 
B.  Greene,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  at  Fort  Warren.  He 
was  in  Paris  with  his  family  when  the  Rebellion  broke  out,  and 
immediately  returned  to  his  native  State,  and  tendered  his  ser 
vices  to  the  Governor.  On  the  25th  of  June,  he  was  placed  in 
command  of  the  regiment  at  Fort  Warren,  and  left  Boston  with 
his  command  on  the  7th  of  August,  1861,  for  Washington. 
This  regiment  was  afterwards  changed  to  heavy  artillery,  and 
during  the  war  was  known  as  the  First  Regiment  Massachusetts 
Heavy  Artillery. 


ORGANIZATION    OF    TEN    NEW    REGIMENTS.  189 

The  Fifteenth  Regiment  was  recruited  in  the  county  of 
Worcester,  at  "Camp  Lincoln,"  in  the  city  of  Worcester. 
Major  Charles  Devens,  Jr.,  who  commanded  the  Second  Bat 
talion  of  Rifles  in  the  three  months'  service,  was  appointed 
colonel.  It  left  the  State  on  the  8th  of  August,  1861  :  it  bore 
a  prominent  part  in  the  battle  of  Ball's  Bluff  of  that  year,  which 
made  it  one  of  the  marked  regiments  of  Massachusetts. 

The  Sixteenth  Regiment  was  raised  in  Middlesex  County.  It 
was  ordered  to  "Camp  Cameron,"  Cambridge,  June  25,  1861, 
and  left  the  State,  August  17,  1861,  for  Washington.  Colonel 
Powell  T.  Wyman,  who  commanded  it,  was  a  graduate  of 
West  Point,  and  had  served  with  distinction  in  the  regular 
army.  He  was  in  Europe  when  Fort  Sumter  was  fired  upon. 
When  the  news  reached  him,  he  wrote  by  the  next  steamer  to  the 
Adjutant-General,  tendering  his  services  to  the  Governor  in  any 
military  capacity  in  which  he  might  be  placed.  Without  waiting 
for  an  answer,  he  came  home,  and  reported  in  person  to  the 
Governor.  His  offer  was  accepted  ;  and  he  was  commissioned 
colonel  of  the  Sixteenth,  which  was  recruited  at  "Camp 
Cameron,"  Cambridge,  and  left  the  State  for  the  seat  of  war 
on  the  17th  of  August,  1861.  Colonel  Wyman  was  killed  in 
battle  near  Richmond,  June  30,  1862 ;  having  in  this  short 
time  achieved  a  reputation  for  military  capacity  and  bravery  not 
surpassed  by  any. 

The  Seventeenth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "Camp  Schouler," 
Lynnfield,  of  which  eight  companies  belonged  to  the  county  of 
Essex,  one  to  Middlesex,  and  one  to  Suffolk.  Captain  Thomas 
J.  C.  Amory,  of  the  United-States  Army,  a  graduate  of  West 
Point,  was  commissioned  colonel.  He  belonged  to  one  of  the 
oldest  and  best  families  of  Massachusetts.  He  died  in  North 
Carolina,  while  in  command  of  the  regiment.  The  Seventeenth 
left  Massachusetts  for  the  front  on  the  23d  of  August,  1861. 

The  Eighteenth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "Camp  Brigham," 
Readville,  and  was  composed  of  men  from  Norfolk,  Bristol,  and 
Plymouth  Counties.  The  camp  was  named  in  honor  of  Colonel 
Elijah  D.  Brigham,  Commissary-General  of  Massachusetts. 
James  Barnes,  of  Springfield,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  and 
a  veteran  officer,  was  commissioned  colonel.  The  regiment  left 


190  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    EEBELLION. 

the  State  for  Washington,  on  the  24th  of  August,  1861.  Colonel 
Barnes  graduated  at  West  Point  in  the  same  class  with  Jeff 
Davis.  He  was  commissioned  by  President  Lincoln  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers. 

The  Nineteenth  Eegiment  was  organized  and  recruited 
at  "  Camp  Schouler,"  Lynnficld.  It  was  composed  of  Essex- 
County  men.  Colonel  Edward  W.  Hinks,  of  Lynn,  who  had 
command  of  the  Eighth  Regiment  in  the  three  months'  service, 
was  appointed  colonel.  This  regiment  left  for  Washington  on 
the  28th  of  August,  1861.  Captain  Arthur  F.  Devereux,  of 
Salem,  who  commanded  a  company  in  the  Eighth  Regiment  in 
the  three  months'  service,  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel ; 
and  Major  Henry  J.  How,  of  Haverhill,  a  graduate  of  Harvard 
College,  class  of  1859,  who  was  killed  in  battle  June  30, 
1862,  was  commissioned  major. 

The  Twentieth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Massasoit," 
Readville,  and  left  the  State  for  Washington  on  the  4th  of  Septem 
ber.  1861.  William  Raymond  Lee,  of  Roxbury,  a  graduate  of 
West  Point;  Francis  W.  Palfrey,  of  Boston,  son  of  Hon.  John 
G.  Palfrey  ;  and  Paul  J.  Revere,  of  Boston,  — were  chiefly  in 
strumental  in  raising  the  regiment :  and  they  were  commissioned, 
severally,  colonel,  lieutenant-colonel,  and  major.  The  roster  of 
this  regiment  contains  the  names  most  distinguished  in  the 
history  of  Massachusetts.  The  Twentieth  bore  a  prominent 
part  in  the  disastrous  Battle  of  Ball's  Bluff,  Oct.  21,  1861. 
Many  of  the  officers  were  killed  and  wounded.  Colonel  Lee, 
Major  Revere,  and  Adjutant  Charles  L.  Peirson,  of  Salem, 
were  taken  prisoners,  and  confined  in  a  cell  as  hostages  at 
Richmond.  We  shall  have  occasion  to  speak  of  these  gentle 
men  in  subsequent  chapters. 

The  Twenty-first  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "Camp  Lincoln," 
at  Worcester.  The  men  belonged  to  the  central  and  western  por 
tions  of  the  Commonwealth.  This  was  one  of  the  five  regiments 
recruited  in  Massachusetts  for  special  service,  designed  originally 
to  be  commanded  by  General  Thomas  W.  Sherman,  but  which 
command  was  afterwards  given  to  General  Burnsidc  ;  but  of 
which  more  in  the  next  chapter.  Augustus  Morse,  of  Leo- 
minster,  one  of  the  three  major-generals  of  militia  of  the 


SENATOR   WILSON'S    REGIMENT.  191 

Commonwealth,  was  commissioned  colonel.  A.  C.  Maggi,  of 
New  Bedford,  who  had  volunteered  as  quartermaster-sergeant 
in  the  Third  Regiment  of  the  three  months'  militia,  was  com 
missioned  lieutenant-colonel.  He  was  an  Italian  by  birth,  a 
citizen  by  choice,  and  a  thoroughly  educated  officer.  William 
S.  Clarke,  a  professor  of  Amherst  College,  was  commissioned 
as  major.  The  regiment  left  the  State  for  Annapolis,  Mary 
land,  on  the  22d  of  August,  1861. 

The  Twenty-second  Regiment,  known  as  Senator  Wilson's 
regiment,  because  it  was  recruited  by  him,  under  special  per 
mission  of  the  Secretary  of  War  if  agreeable  to  the  Governor, 
was  organized  at  "  Camp  Schouler,"  Lynnfield.  It  left  the 
State,  on  the  8th  of  October,  1861,  for  Washington.  To  this 
regiment  were  attached  the  Second  Company  of  Sharpshooters, 
Captain  Wentworth,  and  the  Third  Light  Battery,  Captain 
Dexter  H.  Follett.  Shortly  after  the  arrival  of  the  Twenty- 
second  at  Washington,  Colonel  Wilson,  whose  duties  as  Senator 
precluded  the  possibility  of  retaining  command,  resigned ;  and 
Colonel  Jesse  A.  Gove,  of  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  a 
regular-army  officer,  was  commissioned  colonel.  Colonel  Gove 
was  killed  in  battle  before  Richmond,  July  27,  1862.  This 
regiment  was  attached  to  the  army  of  the  Potomac  during  the 
war.  The  lieutenant-colonel  was  Charles  E.  Griswold,  of  Bos 
ton,  who  was  afterwards  colonel  of  the  Fifty-sixth  Regiment,  and 
was  killed  in  the  Battle  of  the  Wilderness,  May  6,  1864.  The 
major  was  William  S.  Tilton,  of  Boston,  who  afterwards  became 
colonel,  and,  for  brave  and  meritorious  services  in  the  field,  was 
commissioned  by  the  President  brigadier-general  of  volunteers. 

The  Twenty-third  Regiment  was  recruited  at  Lynnfield, 
and  left  the  State  for  Annapolis,  on  the  llth  of  November, 
1861.  The  Twenty-third  was  one  of  the  five  regiments  of 
General  Burnside's  special  command.  The  field  officers  were 
Colonel  John  Kurtz,  of  Boston,  who  commanded  a  company  in 
the  Thirteenth  Regiment.  The  lieutenant-colonel  was  Henry 
Merritt,  of  Salem,  who  was  killed  in  battle  in  North  Carolina, 
March  14,  1862.  The  major  was  Andrew  Elwell,  of  Glou 
cester,  who  was  afterwards  commissioned  colonel. 

The  Twenty-fourth  Regiment  was  known  as  the  New-England 


192  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Guards  "Regiment.  It  was  recruited  by  Colonel  Thomas  G. 
Stevenson,  at  "Camp  Massasoit,"  Readville,  and  left  the  State 
for  Annapolis  on  the  9th  of  December,  1861,  and  formed  part 
of  General  Burnside's  command.  The  Twenty-fourth  was  one 
of  the  best  regiments  ever  recruited  in  Massachusetts.  Colonel 
Stevenson,  its  first  commander,  was  a  gentleman  of  intelligence, 
high  character,  and  sterling  worth.  For  his  bravery  and  effi 
ciency,  he  was  appointed  by  the  President,  Dec.  27,  1862, 
brigadier-general  of  volunteers,  and  was  killed  in  the  Battle  of 
Spottsylvania,  Va.,  May  10,  1864.  The  lieutenant-colonel, 
Francis  A.  Osborne,  also  rose  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general, 
and  served  with  distinction  during  the  war.  Major  Robert  H. 
Stevenson,  after  the  promotion  of  his  superiors,  was  commis 
sioned  lieutenant-colonel,  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  after 
the  death  of  his  brother,  General  Stevenson,  when  from  wounds 
received  he  resigned  his  command,  and  returned  home. 

The  Twenty-fifth  Regiment  was  raised  in  Worcester  County, 
and  was  organized  at  "  Camp  Lincoln,"  near  the  city  of  Wor 
cester.  It  left  the  State  for  Annapolis,  on  the  31st  day  of 
October,  1861,  and  formed  a  part  of  General  Burnside's  divi 
sion.  The  field  officers  were  Edward  Upton,  of  Fitchburg, 
colonel ;  Augustus  B.  R.  Sprague,  of  Worcester,  lieutenant- 
colonel  ;  and  Matthew  J.  McCafferty,  of  Worcester,  as  major. 
These  gentlemen  had  held  commissions  in  the  volunteer  militia, 
and  were  possessed  of  considerable  military  knowledge.  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Sprague  commanded  a  company  in  the  Rifle 
Battalion  in  the  three  months'  service,  and,  before  the  close  of 
the  war,  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  Third 
Regiment  Heavy  Artillery. 

The  Twenty-sixth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Chase," 
Lowell,  and  was  attached  to  Major-General  Butler's  division, 
designed  to  attack  Xew  Orleans.  Many  of  the  officers  and  men 
of  this  regiment  belonged  to  the  Sixth  Regiment  in  the  three 
months'  service,  which  was  attacked  in  Baltimore,  on  the  19th 
of  April,  1861.  The  Twenty-sixth  left  Boston  in  the  transport 
steamer  "Constitution,"  on  the  21st  day  of  November,  1861,  for 
Ship  Island,  Mississippi.  This  was  the  first  loyal  volunteer  regi 
ment  that  reached  the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  Its  field  officers 


DEPARTURE  OF  THREE  YEARS*  REGIMENTS.      193 

were  Edward  F.  Jones,  of  Pepperell,  colonel;  Alpha  B.  Farr, 
of  Lowell,  lieutenant-colonel ;  and  Josiah  A.  Sawtelle,  of 
Lowell,  major,  —  all  of  whom  were  officers  in  the  Sixth  Regi 
ment  in  the  three  months'  service. 

The  Twenty-seventh  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "Camp 
Reed,"  Springfield,  from  the  four  western  counties  in  the 
State.  It  left  the  Commonwealth  for  Annapolis  on  the  2d  day 
of  November,  1861,  and  formed  a  part  of  General  Burnside'a 
command.  The  field  officers  were  Horace  C.  Lee,  of  Spring 
field,  colonel,  who  afterwards  rose  to  the  rank  of  brigadier- 
general  ;  Luke  Wyman,  of  Northampton,  lieutenant-colonel ; 
and  Walter  G.  Bartholomew,  of  Springfield,  major,  —  both  of 
whom  were  made  full  colonels  before  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Cam 
eron,"  Cambridge.  Its  officers  and  men  were  chiefly  of  Irish 
birth  or  descent.  It  did  not  leave  the  State  until  January, 
1862.  Its  field  officers  were  William  Monteith,  of  New  York, 
colonel;  Maclelland  Moore,  of  Boston,  lieutenant-colonel; 
George  W.  Cartwright,  of  New  York,  major.  The  colonel  and 
major  had  served  in  one  of  the  New-York  regiments  in  the 
three  months'  service.  The  lieutenant-colonel  had  been  for 
many  years  connected  with  the  militia  of  Massachusetts,  and 
commanded  a  company  in  the  Eleventh  Massachusetts  Regiment, 
three  years'  volunteers,  from  which  he  was  discharged  for  pro 
motion  in  the  Twenty-eighth. 

The  Twenty-ninth  Regiment  was  composed  of  seven  com 
panies  originally  raised  as  militia  in  the  three  months'  service, 
but  which  volunteered  for  three  years,  and  were  sent  by  detach 
ments  to  Fortress  Monroe,  while  the  Third  and  Fourth  three 
months'  regiments  were  still  there  :  on  the  return  of  the  three 
months'  regiments,  these  seven  companies  remained  at  the  for 
tress,  and  were  formed  into  a  battalion,  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Joseph  H.  Barnes.  Permission  was  given  by  the 
Secretary  of  War  to  recruit  the  battalion  to  a  regiment,  by 
the  addition  of  three  new  companies.  The  field  officers  of 
the  regiment  were  Ebenezer  W.  Peirce,  of  Freetown,  colonel; 
Joseph  H.  Barnes,  of  Boston,  lieutenant-colonel;  and  Charles 
Chipman,  of  Sandwich,  major.  Colonel  Peirce,  on  the  break- 

13 


194  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

ing-out  of  the  war,  was  brigadier-general  of  the  Second  Brigade, 
First  Division,  Massachusetts  Militia,  and  succeeded  General 
B.  F.  Butler,  after  his  promotion  to  major-general  of  volun 
teers,  to  the  command  of  the  Massachusetts  three  months'  men 
at  Fortress  Monroe.  General  Peirce  had  command  of  the 
expedition  against  Big  Bethel,  in  May,  1861.  On  the  return 
of  the  three  months'  men,  he  was  mustered  out  of  service, 
and  remained  without  command  until  he  was  commissioned 
colonel  of  the  Twenty-ninth  by  Governor  Andrew,  Dec.  13, 
1861.  He  lost  his  right  arm  in  the  battle  before  Richmond  at 
"  White  Oak  Swamp,"  in  1862. 

The  seven  original  companies  of  this  command  were  among 
the  first  three  years'  volunteers  raised  in  Massachusetts,  that 
were  mustered  into  the  United-States  service. 

While  these  infantry  regiments  were  being  organized  and 
forwarded  to  the  front,  a  battalion  of  infantry  for  three  years' 
service  was  organized,  and  sent  to  Fort  Warren  for  garrison 
duty.  It  was  composed  of  five  companies,  of  which  Francis  J. 
Parker,  of  Boston,  was  commissioned  major.  It  was  on  duty 
at  Fort  Warren,  at  the  close  of  the  year  1861. 

Two  companies  of  sharpshooters,  with  telescopic  rifles,  were 
recruited  at  Lynnfield.  The  first  company,  under  command  of 
John  Saunders,  of  Salem,  was  not  attached  to  any  regiment. 
It  left  the  State  for  Washington  on  the  3d  day  of  December, 
1861,  and  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Frederick  W. 
Lander,  who  commanded  a  brigade  near  Maryland  Heights,  on 
the  Upper  Potomac.  The  second  company  was  attached  to  the 
Twenty-second  Regiment,  and  left  the  State  with  it.  In  these 
two  companies  were  many  of  the  best  marksmen  in  the  Com 
monwealth. 

The  first  regiment  of  cavalry  was  ordered  to  be  raised  on  the 
third  day  of  September,  1861  ;  and  Colonel  Robert  Williams,  of 
Virginia,  one  of  the  most  accomplished  cavalry  officers  in  the 
regular  army,  was  detailed  to  accept  the  command.  Horace 
Binney  Sargent,  of  West  Roxbury,  senior  aide-de-camp  to  the 
Governor,  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel ;  Greely  S. 
Curtis,  of  Boston,  and  John  H.  Edson,  of  Boston,  were  com 
missioned  majors.  The  regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Brig- 


DEPARTURE    OF   LIGHT   BATTERIES.  195 

ham,"  Readville,  and  left  for  the  seat  of  war  in  detachments, 
-the  first  being  sent  forward  Dec.  25;  the  second,  Dec.  27  ; 
and  the  third,  on  Sunday,  December  29,  1861.  The  regiment 
was  ordered  to  Annapolis;  and  Colonel  Williams  was  to  await 
orders  from  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  United  States.  The 
regiment  remained  at  Annapolis  until  the  close  of  the  year. 

The  First  Light  Battery  was  recruited  at  "Camp  Cameron," 
Cambridge,  by  Captain  Josiah  Porter,  assisted  by  William  II. 
McCartney,  Jacob  H.  Sleeper,  Jacob  Federhen,  and  Robert  L. 
Sawin,  of  Boston,  who  were  severally  commissioned  lieutenants. 
The  battery  left  the  State  on  the  3d  of  October,  1861,  for 
Washington. 

The  Second  Battery  was  recruited  at  "Camp  Wollaston," 
Quincy,  and  left  for  Washington,  on  the  eighth  day  of  August, 
1861.  Its  officers  were  Ormond  F.  Nims,  Boston,  captain; 
John  W.  Wolcott,  Roxbury,  first  lieutenant;  George  G. 
Trull  of  Boston,  Richard  B.  Hall  of  Boston,  second  lieuten 
ants. 

The  Third  Battery  was  recruited  at  Lynnfield,  by  Captain 
Dexter  H.  Follett,  and  was  temporarily  attached  to  the  Twenty- 
second  Regiment,  and  left  the  State  on  the  seventh  day  of 
October,  1861.  Its  officers  were  Dexter  H.  Follett,  Boston,  cap 
tain  :  Augustus  P.  Martin,  Boston,  and  Caleb  C.  E.  Mortimer, 
Charlestown,  first  lieutenants  :  Valentine  M.  Dunn  and  Philip 
H.  Tyler,  Charlestown,  second  lieutenants. 

Soon  after  the  battery  reached  Washington,  Captain  Follett 
resigned  his  commission,  and  Lieutenant  Martin  was  appointed 
to  fill  the  vacancy. 

The  Fourth  Light  Battery  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Chase," 
Lowell,  and  formed  part  of  Major-General  Butler's  command  to 
invade  Louisiana.  The  nucleus  of  this  battery  was  a  section 
of  light  artillery  in  the  Second  Division  of  Militia  at  Salem, 
commanded  by  Captain  Charles  II.  Manning.  When  recruited 
to  a  full  battery,  it  left  Boston  in  the  steam-transport  "  Con 
stitution,"  Nov.  21,  1861.  Its  officers  were  Charles  H.  Man 
ning,  of  Salem,  captain :  Frederick  W.  Reinhardt,  Boston, 
and  Joseph  R.  Salla,  Boston,  first  lieutenants  :  Henry  Davidson 
and  George  W.  Taylor,  of  Salem,  second  lieutenants. 


196  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  Fifth  Light  Battery  was  recruited  at  Lynnfield,  and  at 
r  Camp  Massasoit,"  Readville,  and  left  the  State  for  Washing 
ton,  with  orders  to  report  to  Major-General  McClellan.  Its 
officers  were  Max  Eppendorff,  of  New  Bedford,  captain : 
George  D.  Allen,  Maiden,  and  John  B.  Hyde,  New  Bedford, 
first  lieutenants  :  Robert  A.  Dillingham,  New  Bedford,  and 
Charles  A.  Phillips,  Salem,  second  lieutenants. 

This  battery  was  the  only  one  which  left  the  State  in  1861 
without  a  complete  equipment.  Every  thing  was  furnished 
except  horses,  which  Quartermaster-General  Meigs,  U.S.A., 
preferred  to  have  supplied  at  Washington. 

These  regiments  and  batteries  of  three  years'  volunteers  com 
prised,  in  the  aggregate,  twenty-seven  thousand  officers  and 
enlisted  men.  They  had  been  organized,  officered,  equipped, 
and  sent  to  the  front,  within  six  months.  Including  the  three 
months'  men,  the  number  of  soldiers  furnished  by  Massachu 
setts,  from  the  sixteenth  day  of  April  to  the  thirty-first  day  of 
December,  1861,  in  the  aggregate  was  thirty  thousand  seven 
hundred  and  thirty-six  officers  and  enlisted  men.  This  is  exclu 
sive  of  six  companies,  raised  in  Newburyport,  West  Cambridge, 
Milford,  Lawrence,  Boston,  and  Cambridgeport,  which  went  to 
New  York  in  May,  and  joined  what  was  called  the  Mozart  Regi 
ment,  and  Sickles's  brigade  ;  nor  does  it  include  two  regiments 
which  were  recruited  by  Major-General  Butler  at  Pittsfield 
and  Lowell,  and  which  were  originally  known  as  the  Western 
Bay  State  and  the  Eastern  Bay  State  Regiments,  of  which  we 
shall  speak  in  the  next  chapter ;  nor  does  it  include  three  hun 
dred  men  who  were  recruited  in  Massachusetts  for  a  military 
organization  at  Fortress  Monroe,  known  as  the  Union  Coast 
Guard,  and  commanded  by  Colonel  Wardrop,  of  the  Third 
Regiment  Massachusetts  Militia,  in  the  three  months'  service. 
Including  these  enlistments,  the  total  number  of  officers  and  sol 
diers,  furnished  by  Massachusetts  in  1861,  would  be  thirty-three 
thousand  six  hundred  and  thirty-six,  or  more  than  twice  the 
number  of  the  entire  army  of  the  United  States  at  the  com 
mencement  of  the  war.  But,  in  addition  to  this  large  number 
of  men  furnished  by  this  Commonwealth  for  the  military  de 
fence  of  the  nation,  it  appears,  by  the  enlistment-record  of  the 


STAFF    APPOINTMENTS    BY    THE    GOVERNOR.  197 

receiving-ship  at  the  navy  yard  in  Charlestown,  that  seven 
thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty-eight  Massachusetts  men  entered 
the  navy  to  maintain  our  rights,  and  defend  the  flag  upon  the 
ocean.  Add  these  to  the  men  furnished  for  the  army,  and  the 
aggregate  is  forty-one  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-four. 

To  avoid  confusion,  we  have  given,  in  consecutive  form,  the 
organizing  and  getting  off  the  regiments  during  the  year  18(U, 
which  required  great  attention  and  much  labor,  and  rendered 
necessary  the  appointment  of  additional  staff  officers,  and  the 
creation  of  new  military  departments.  On  the  twenty-fifth  day 
of  May,  1861,  General  Ebenezer  W.  Stone  was  appointed 
master  of  ordnance,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  which  position 
he  held  until  the  third  day  of  October  of  the  same  year.  Al 
bert  G.  Browne,  Jr.,  of  Salem,  was  appointed,  on  the  twenty- 
seventh  day  of  May,  1861,  military  secretary  to  the  Governor, 
with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  which  position  he  held  until 
the  close  of  Governor  Andrew's  administration  in  1865.  On 
the  thirteenth  day  of  June,  1861,  Dr.  William  J.  Dale,  of  Bos 
ton,  was  appointed  Surgeon-General  of  Massachusetts,  with  the 
rank  of  colonel.  Dr.  Dale  and  Dr.  George  H.  Lyman  had 
given  their  time  and  professional  services  in  a  medical  supervision 
of  the  troops,  and  the  selection  of  proper  persons  for  surgeons 
to  the  regiments,  from  the  commencement  of  the  Rebellion.  Dr. 
Dale,  in  a  letter  addressed  to  me,  says,  — 

"  Whatever  of  success  attended  the  preparation  of  the  troops,  prior 
to  my  commission,  is  attributable  to  Dr.  Lyman,  who  showed  great 
energy  and  good  judgment.  He  was  constantly  in  consultation  with 
the  Governor  ;  while  I  attended  to  the  routine  of  office  dutie.*,  and  gave 
such  help  to  Dr.  Lyman  as  my  limited  knowledge  of  such  matters  al 
lowed.  He  is  an  accomplished  man,  an  able  surgeon,  and  stood  high 
in  his  profession.  He  was  considered  one  of  the  most  energetic  and 
thorough  officers  on  the  medical  staff  in  the  United-States  army,  until 
honorably  mustered  out  at  the  expiration  of  the  Rebellion." 

The  following  letter  of  the  Governor  to  Dr.  Lyman  shows 
how  well  he  appreciated  the  services  rendered  by  him  :  - 

June  14,  1861. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  I  wish  to  render  you  my  sincere  thanks,  both 
personally  and  in  behalf  of  the  Commonwealth,  for  the  constant  and 
valuable  services  which  you  have  so  kindly  rendered  in  our  medical  ser- 


198  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

vice,  and  of  the  faithfulness  of  which,  I  beg  to  assure  you,  I  am  deeply 
sensible. 

I  shall  esteem  it  an  especial  favor,  if  you  will  retain  your  connection 
with  the  medical  department  for  the  present,  in  order  to  co-operate  with 
Dr.  Dale  in  the  work  respecting  ambulances,  hospital  outfits,  &c.,  on 
which  you  are  now  engaged,  and  if  you  will  also  henceforth  act  as  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Medical  Examiners,  to  which  I  beg  you  to  con 
sider  this  letter  as  an  appointment. 

I  shall  always  remember  with  gratitude  —  almost  beyond  any  other 
service  I  have  ever  received  —  the  friendly  co-operation  of  those  who 
came  to  the  assistance  of  the  Commonwealth  during  the  anxious  and 
hurried  days  of  April,  when,  destitute  as  we  were  of  any  efficient  mili 
tary  organization,  we  were  enabled,  as  individuals  working  in  a  common 
spirit,  to  effect  a  result  which  was  creditable  to  Massachusetts. 

Yours  faithfully  and  respectfully,  JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

To  Dr.  G.  II.  LYMAN. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  a  memorial  was  addressed  to 
the  Governor,  signed  by  Drs.  James  Jackson,  George  Hay- 
ward,  and  S.  D.  Townsend,  asking  that  none  but  well-qualified 
and  competent  surgeons  should  receive  medical  appointments. 
The  memorial  was  favorably  regarded  by  the  Governor ;  and  he 
appointed  Drs.  Hay  ward,  Townsend,  John  Ware,  Samuel  G. 
Howe,  J.  Mason  Warren,  S.  Cabot,  Jr.,  K.  M.  Hodges, 
George  II.  Lyrnan,  and  William  J.  Dale,  as  a  medical  commis 
sion.  Drs.  George  H.  Gay,  Samuel  L.  Abbott,  John  C.  Dalton, 
and  R.  W.  Hooper  were  subsequently  appointed  to  fill  vacancies 
caused  by  death  or  resignation.  This  board  was  charged  with 
the  responsibility  of  examining  candidates  for  the  medical  staff, 
and  also  acted  as  a  board  of  consultation  in  sanitary  mat 
ters,  when  called  upon  by  the  Surgeon-General.  Their  valua 
ble  services  were  in  constant  requisition  during  the  war  ;  and, 
being  composed  of  men  distinguished  and  humane,  their  opin 
ions  had  great  weight.  Their  services  were  entirely  voluntary, 
and  continued  during  the  war. 

The  Surgeon-General  established  hospitals,  received  and  cared 
for  the  sick  and  wounded  who  returned ;  and  his  labors  in  the 
reception  and  care  of  these  men  continued  until  the  establish 
ment  of  general  hospitals  by  the  Government,  and  were  exceed 
ingly  laborious,  and  of  great  usefulness. 


SURGEON-GENERAL'S  OFFICE.  199 

Soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  war,  as  there  was  no 
army-surgeon  in  Boston,  the  Medical  Bureau  at  Washington 
appointed  Surgeon-General  Dale  acting  assistant  surgeon  in 
the  United-States  army,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  him  official 
responsibility  in  matters  pertaining  to  the  sanitary  welfare  of 
the  troops.  Under  these  joint  commissions,  he  furnished  medi 
cal  supplies,  organized  hospitals,  received  and  cared  for  the  sick 
and  wounded,  and  remained  acting  medical  director  in  the 
United-States  army,  until  relieved,  in  July,  1862,  by  Surgeon 
McLaren,  of  the  regular  service. 

The  admirable  manner  in  which  General  Dale  organized  his 
department,  and  discharged  his  duties,  his  humane  and  tender 
care  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  will  ever  be  regarded  with  grati 
tude  by  our  people  ;  in  acknowledgment  of  which,  he  was  ap 
pointed  to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  by  Governor  Andrew, 
by  General  Order  No.  24,  dated  — 

HEADQUARTERS,  BOSTON,  Oct.  7,  1863. 

In  view  of  the  considerate,  able,  and  unwearied  services  rendered 
the  past  two  years  by  Colonel  William  J.  Dale,  as  Surgeon- General  of 
the  Commonwealth,  his  Excellency  the  Governor  directs  that  he  here 
after  take  rank  as  brigadier-general,  and  that  he  be  obeyed  and  respected 
accordingly.  WILLIAM  SCHOULER, 

Adjutant-  General. 

Elijah  D.  Brigham,  of  Boston,  on  the  thirteenth  day  of  June, 
1861,  was  commissioned  Commissary-General  of  Massachusetts, 
with  the  rank  of  colonel,  which  rank  he  held  until  May  14, 
1864,  when  he  was  promoted  by  the  Governor  to  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general. 

Charles  H.  Dalton  was  appointed  assistant  quartermaster- 
general,  on  the  twenty-third  day  of  May,  1861,  with  the  rank 
of  colonel.  Colonel  Dalton  did  very  acceptable  services  at 
Washington,  as  the  agent  of  the  Governor,  in  the  early  part  of 
the  war,  which  were  given  gratuitously. 

William  P.  Lee  and  Waldo  Adams,  of  Boston,  were  ap 
pointed  assistant  quartermaster-generals,  with  the  rank  of  first 
lieutenant,  June  14,  1861.  The  services  rendered  by  these 
gentlemen  were  given  gratuitously. 

Frank    E.    Howe,    of  New  York,   was    appointed    assistant 


200  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

quartermaster-general  Aug.  23,  1861,  with  the  rank  of  lieuten 
ant-colonel.  Colonel  Howe  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts, 
doing  business  in  New  York.  In  the  month  of  May,  he  had 
written  to  Governor  Andrew,  tendering  the  use  of  rooms  in  his 
store,  and  his  own  personal  services,  to  take  charge  of  the  sick 
and  wounded  Massachusetts  soldiers  who  might  pass  through 
New  York  on  their  return  from  the  front.  On  the  twentieth 
day  of  May,  Governor  Andrew  wrote  him  the  following  letter 
in  reply  :  — 

FRANK  E.  HOWE,  Esq.,  203,  Broadway.  May  20,  1861. 

SIR,  —  I  have  received,  with  great  pleasure,  the  liberal  and  patriotic 
tender  of  the  services  of  yourself  and  employees,  and  the  use  of  your 
premises  on  Broadway,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Massachusetts  troops,  and 
the  general  advancement  of  the  interests  of  this  Commonwealth  in  its 
relations  to  the  present  war. 

Expressing  to  you  my  thanks,  I  accept  your  generous  offer.  It  will 
be  of  great  advantage  to  our  soldiers  to  make  your  premises  their  head 
quarters,  so  far  as  convenient,  while  in  New  York ;  and  you  may  ex 
pect,  from  time  to  time,  to  be  intrusted  with  the  performance  of  various 
offices  for  their  benefit. 

Should  you  fall  in  with  any  sick  or  wounded  Massachusetts  officers 
or  soldiers,  you  will  please  to  relieve  them  at  the  expense  of  the  State, 
and  take  measures  for  forwarding  them  to  their  homes. 

With  regard  to  the  sundry  other  duties  that  we  may  ask  of  you  to 
perform,  you  will,  so  far  as  possible,  receive  specific  instructions  as  they 
arise. 

You  will  please  to  make  a  weekly  return  of  the  expenses  to  be  de 
frayed  by  the  State  to  this  department. 

Yours  faithfully,  JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

This  was  the  origin  of  what  was  familiarly  known  as  the 
New-England  Rooms  in  New  York,  of  which  Colonel  Howe 
had  charge  during  the  entire  war.  It  became  a  home  and  hos 
pital  for  the  sick  and  wounded  of  New-England  soldiers,  both  in 
going  to,  and  returning  from,  the  front.  Other  New-England 
States,  following  the  lead  of  Massachusetts,  appointed  Colonel 
Howe  their  agent  to  take  care  of  their  soldiers.  These  rooms 
were  supported,  by  voluntary  subscriptions,  by  patriotic  and 
liberal  men  in  the  city  of  New  York.  We  shall  have  occasion 


MILITARY    STORES    AT    FORTRESS    MONROE.  201 

to  speak  again  of  this  admirable  institution  and  Colonel  Howe 
in  a  subsequent  chapter. 

Charles  Amory,  of  Boston,  who,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
war,  had  tendered  to  the  Governor  his  services,  free  of  charge, 
in  any  position  where  he  could  be  of  use,  was  appointed  master 
of  ordnance,  upon  the  discharge  of  General  Stone,  on  the 
seventh  day  of  October,  1861,  with  the  rank  of  colonel.  Colo 
nel  Amory  performed  the  duties  of  the  office  until  Jan.  9,  1863, 
when  he  resigned,  there  being  no  further  necessity  for  his  ser 
vices.  He  received  the  thanks  of  the  Governor,  in  General 
Orders  No.  2,  series  of  1863. 

William  Brown,  of  Boston,  who  was  chief  clerk  in  the 
office  of  the  Adjutant-General  when  the  war  broke  out,  and  for 
several  years  previous  thereto,  was  commissioned  Assistant 
Adjutant-General,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  on  the  twenty- 
ninth  day  of  October,  1861,  which  position  he  held  until  re 
moved  by  death,  Feb.  16,  1863.  He  was  a  faithful  and 
intelligent  officer,  and  died  at  his  post. 

These  were  all  the  staff  commissions  issued  in  1861. 

We  now  return  to  the  correspondence  of  the  Executive  De 
partment. 

A  large  amount  of  valuable  stores  for  our  troops  had  been 
forwarded  to  Fortress  Monroe,  in  the  steamer  "Pembroke," 
early  in  the  month  of  May,  1861.  The  following  letter,  writ 
ten  by  Colonel  Lee  by  direction  of  the  Governor,  has  reference 
to  these  stores  :  — 

May  20,  1861. 

DEAR  Sm,  —  The  captain  of  the  steamer  « Pembroke,"  just  re 
turned  from  Fort  Monroe,  reports,  that  several  boxes  and  bales,  put 
ashore  for  the  Fifth  and  Eighth  Regiments,  remained  as  long  as  the 
"  Pembroke "  lay  at  the  fort,  exposed  to  mud  and  the  weather ;  and 
that,  although  he  applied  successively  to  the  quartermasters  of  the 
Third  and  Fourth  Regiments,  and  to  the  colonels,  then  to  the 

quartermaster  of  the  regulars,  and,  lastly,  to  Colonel ,  he  did  not 

succeed  in  interesting  any  one  to  receive  and  store  these  goods,  or  to 
engage  to  forward  them  to  the  regiments  in  Washington,  or  else 
where. 

Governor  Andrew  would  like  to  have  the  whereabouts  of  these 
goods  discovered;  and,  if  they  have  not  been  delivered,  would  like  to 


202  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

have  them  sent  to  the  regiments  to  whom  they  are  addressed.  Com 
modore  Stringham  very  kindly  promised  to  send  them  by  the  first 
opportunity,  but  that  may  not  have  come. 

The  Governor  would  also  express  his  great  surprise  at  the  indiffer 
ence —  almost  surliness  —  exhibited  by  United-States  officers,  when 
applied  to  as  to  the  reception  and  care  of  these  comforts  for  Massachu 
setts  troops  ;  also,  his  astonishment  that  room  could  not  be  found  in 
Fort  Monroe  for  their  storage. 

As  you  are  obliged  to  leave  Washington,  the  Governor  has  commis 
sioned  for  the  time,  as  Massachusetts  agent,  Mr.  Charles  H.  Dal  ton,  a 
gentleman  of  perfect  integrity,  and  great  business  experience  and  abil 
ity,  and  he  leaves  Boston  for  Washington,  this  evening ;  and  any  busi 
ness  you  have  in  hand,  when  obliged  to  leave,  you  will  give  to  his 
charge. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

HENRY  LEE,  JR.,  Aide-de-camp. 

CHARLES  K.  LOWELL,  JR.,  Esq.,  Washington,  D.C. 

May  23,  1861.  — The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Hon.  Charles 
Sumner,  at  Washington,  "  Why  can't  I  send  a  brigadier  in  But 
ler's  place?  It  is  my  wish,  and  is  only  just  to  General  Peirce. 
Butler  recommends  him.  He  is  sound,  faithful,  and  ardent. 
Answer  immediately."  Permission  was  given,  and  General 
Peirce  was  appointed.  On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  writes 
to  Professor  Rogers,  thanking  him  for  eight  hundred  military 
hats,  contributed  by  the  "Thursday  Evening  Club;"  also,  to 
Mrs.  Jared  Sparks,  Cambridge,  and  the  ladies  with  whom  she 
is  associated,  for  presents  of  needle-books  and  handkerchiefs  for 
the  soldiers. 

May  24,  1861.  —  Governor  writes  to  Lieutenant  Amory, 
U.S.A.,  mustering  officer  at  Boston,  "Whatever  rations,  cloth 
ing,  &c.,  you  may  want  for  the  soldiers,  after  they  are  mustered 
in,  will  be  furnished  upon  proper  requisitions."  The  same  day, 
he  writes  to  A.  W.  Campbell,  of  Wheeling,  Va.,  inclosing  an 
order  passed  by  the  Executive  Council,  loaning  that  city  two 
thousand  muskets.  He  writes  to  William  Kobinson,  of  Balti 
more,  Md.,  — 

"  I  have  gratefully  received,  and  desire  cordially  to  acknowledge 
your  very  kind  letter,  concerning  the  fate  and  last  days  of  poor  Need- 
ham,  of  Lawrence,  Mass.  Allow  me  also  to  render  to  you  my  thanks 


LETTERS  TO  SECRETARY  OF  THE  TREASURY.      203 

in  behalf  of  those  most  nearly  related  to  the  young  man,  as  well  as  in 
behalf  of  all  my  people,  for  your  Christian,  brotherly  conduct  towards 
the  strangers  who  fell  in  your  way,  rendering  the  offices  of  a  good 
Samaritan.  I  have  sent  a  copy  of  your  letter  to  the  Mayor  of  Law 
rence,  who  will  send  it  to  the  Needham  family. 

"  I  beg  leave  to  add  the  assurances  of  my  personal  respect,  and  the 
hope  that  I  may  yet  see  you  in  Boston." 

He  writes  to  Salmon  P.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the  Trea 
sury  :  — 

"  I  have  consulted  with  the  representatives  of  many  of  our  princi 
pal  banking  institutions,  and  with  our  leading  private  capitalists ;  and 
I  feel  confident,  that,  if  necessary  or  desirable,  $5,000,000  of  the 
$14,000,000  of  the  next  loan  can  be  taken  in  this  Commonwealth. 

"  If  the  United-States  bonds  to  that  amount  should  be  guaranteed 
by  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  they  would  command  a  pre 
mium  probably,  and  could  certainly  be  readily  negotiated  at  par.  Will 
you  advise  me  what  would  be  the  wishes  of  the  national  Administration 
in  this  respect  ?  " 

He  writes  again  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  calling  his  atten 
tion  to  the  defenceless  condition  of  the  forts  in  Boston  Har 
bor ;  also  to  General  Stetson,  of  the  Astor  House,  thanking 
him  for  his  kindness  and  liberality  to  our  soldiers  in  passing 
through  New  York ;  also  thanks  Daniel  Lombard,  Esq.,  of 
Boston,  who  offers  to  clear  "a  cargo  of  rice,  free  of  expense, 
for  the  use  of  our  troops." 

He  writes  to  Colonel  Dalton,  at  Washington,  inclosing  him 
an  extract  from  a  letter  written  by  F.  A.  B.  Simkins,  to  the 
effect  that  a  soldier  of  the  Fifth  Kegiment  had  told  him  that  the 
quartermaster  of  the  regiment  had  neglected  his  duty.  "  Mat 
tresses  that  came  with  the  regiment  had  since  lain  in  a  cellar, 
while  the  men  have  slept  on  stone  floors  ;  tons  of  cheese  from 
Boston  had  been  there  more  than  a  week,  before  the  men  could 
get  a  mouthful  of  it ;  canteens  had  also  been  there,  for  a  con 
siderable  time,  and  had  not  been  distributed,  —  thinks  some 
thing  wrong."  He  also  incloses  another  letter  from  a  gentleman 
in  Washington,  giving  an  entirely  different  account  of  the  con 
dition  of  the  regiment.  Colonel  Dalton  is  asked  to  look  into 
the  matter,  and  report. 


204  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

May  28,  1861.  —  Governor  writes  to  Jacob  F.  Kent,  Esq., 
Providence,  R.I.,  that  "Massachusetts  is  allowed  six  regi 
ments,  and  would  be  glad  to  send  twenty,  if  they  would  let 
her." 

He  writes  to  Governor  Washburn,  of  Maine,  — 

"  If  I  have  a  chance  to  make  an  appointment  of  a  good  man  as  offi 
cer,  I  make  no  question  as  to  his  age,  unless  he  comes  somewhere  near 
Methuselah.  I  hold  that  I  am  not  bound  to  take  judicial  notice  of  a 
man's  age,  or  to  enter  into  any  particular  investigation  on  the  subject, 
provided  I  feel  that  I  have  got  the  right  man.  Both  of  us  know  some 
people  at  fifty  who  are  younger  than  some  at  twenty -five ;  yet,  on  the 
whole,  I  like  the  suggestion  of  the  War  Department ;  and,  if  they  err 
in  favor  of  young  men,  why,  that  is  so  uncommon  an  error  now-a-days 
among  Government  officials,  that  I  regard  it  with  great  charity,  as  a 
hopeful  symptom." 

This  letter  undoubtedly  has  reference  to  a  circular  letter 
addressed  to  the  Governors  of  the  loyal  States  by  the  Secretary 
of  War,  in  which  the  following  suggestions  are  made  in  respect 
to  the  appointment  of  officers  in  the  volunteer  service  :  — 

"  1.  To  commission  no  one  of  doubtful  morals  or  patriotism,  and  not 
of  sound  health. 

"  2.  To  appoint  no  one  to  a  lieutenancy  (second  or  first)  who  has 
passed  the  age  of  twenty-two  years,  or  to  a  captaincy  over  thirty  years  ; 
and  to  appoint  no  field  officers  (major,  lieutenant-colonel,  or  colonel), 
unless  a  graduate  of  the  United-States  Military  Academy,  or  known  to 
possess  military  knowledge  and  experience,  who  have  passed  the  respec 
tive  ages  of  thirty-five,  forty,  forty-five  years. 

"  This  department  feels  assured,  that  it  will  not  be  deemed  offensive 
to  your  Excellency  to  add  yet  this  general  counsel,  that  the  higher  the 
moral  character  and  general  intelligence  of  the  officers  so  appointed, 
the  greater  the  efficiency  of  the  troops,  and  the  resulting  glory  to  their 
respective  States." 

May  28.  — The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Governor  Dennison, 
of  Ohio,  "If  you  wish  us  to  buy  or  contract  for  any  equipments 
for  you,  can  get  two  hundred  a  day  made,  suitable,  if  you 
wish." 

He  telegraphs  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  "  The  First  Regiment 


LETTER  TO  COLONEL  HOWE,  NEW  YORK.       205 

has  been  mustered  in.  I  want  to  know  whether  they  shall  be 
sent  to  Fortress  Monroe,  as  General  Butler  wants  them  to  be, 
or  what  I  shall  do  with  them.  They  are  ready  to  start  at 
twenty-four  hours'  notice." 

May  29.— He  telegraphs  to  Colonel  Dalton,  Washington, 
"  Urge  Government  to  let  me  have  guns  from  ordnance  yard, 
and  mount  them  in  harbor  forts.  Merchants  here  constantly 
pressing  me  to  obtain  them." 

He  writes  to  M.  C.  Pratt,  Holyoke,  "  I  have  no  orders  for 
cavalry.  Nothing  would  give  me  greater  pleasure  than  to  fur 
nish  more  infantry  and  cavalry,  but  cannot  do  it." 

He  writes  to  Colonel  Jonas  H.  French,  Boston,  declining  to 
accept  his  offer  to  raise  a  regiment,  "  as  there  are  troops  now 
under  arms  in  the  State  sufficient  to  fill  double  the  quota  as 
signed  to  Massachusetts.  Nothing  would  give  me  greater  pleas 
ure  than  to  have  liberty  to  send  more  troops." 

In  the  early  weeks  of  the  war,  several  debts  were  contracted 
in  the  name  of  the  Commonwealth,  by  officers  and  others,  for 
supplies  for  the  immediate  use  of  troops  on  their  way  to 
Washington.  The  commissary  and  quartermaster's  departments 
had  yet  to  be  organized,  and  a  proper  system  of  expenditure 
and  personal  accountability  established.  Many  of  the  bills 
which  were  forwarded  from  New  York  and  other  places  to  the 
State  authorities  for  payment  contained  items  which  were  not 
recognized  in  "the  regulations,"  and  the  prices  charged  were 
extravagantly  high.  The  files  of  the  Governor  contain  a  num 
ber  of  letters  relating  to  these  matters.  One  of  these  letters 
states  that  in  "almost  all  the  New- York  bills  for  supplies  bought 
at  that  time  for  the  troops,  the  charges  average  very  much  more 
than  Boston  prices  for  similar  articles."  One  of  the  committee 
of  the  Governor's  Council,  to  whom  these  bills  were  referred 
for  settlement,  remarked  that  "the  purchasers,  whoever  they 
were,  seemed  to  have  looked  for  persons  who  sold  at  retail 
prices,  and  to  have  succeeded  admirably  in  finding  what  they 
were  looking  for."  These  bills  were,  however,  paid ;  and  the 
appointment  of  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe  as  the  agent  of  the 
Commonwealth  to  look  after  the  wants  of  our  soldiers  in  New 
York  put  an  end  to  these  early  attempts  to  peculate  upon  the 


206  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

liberality  of  Massachusetts.  The  Executive  Council  also  kept 
a  close  watch  upon  expenditures,  and  scrutinized  all  bills  pre 
sented  for  payment,  which  relieved  the  Governor  and  heads  of 
departments  from  much  of  the  drudgery  of  examining  and 
ascertaining  the  accuracy  of  this  description  of  accounts. 

May  30.  —  The  Governor  writes  to  Colonel  Dalton,  at  Wash 
ington,  asking  him  to  urge  again  upon  the  Government  the 
necessity  of  arming  our  forts.  "  There  are  plenty  of  guns  at 
the  navy  yard,  at  Watertown,  and  Springfield,  which  could  easily 
be  put  into  position.  The  necessity  is  urgent." 

He  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  the  letter  of  Powell  T.  Wy- 
man,  from  Europe,  forwarded  to  him  by  the  Adjutant-General, 
offering  his  services  in  any  military  capacity. 

May  31.  —  The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
New  York,  "The  Milford  company  will  arrive  by  the  Norwich 
boat,  to-morrow  morning  ;  the  Newburyport  company,  by  the 
Stonington  boat ;  the  West-Cambridge  company,  by  the  land 
train,  leaving  here  at  eight  o'clock,  this  evening.  Prepare  to 
receive  them  :  they  are  consigned  to  you."  These  three  com 
panies  were  impatient  to  enter  the  service.  They  could  not  be 
placed  in  any  regiment  here,  as  the  quota  assigned  to  this  State 
was  full,  and  the  Secretary  of  War  would  accept  no  more. 
They  were  induced,  by  representations  made,  to  go  to  New 
York,  and  complete  a  regiment  said  to  be  forming  in  Brooklyn, 
and  to  be  known  as  the  "  Beecher  Regiment."  Upon  arriving 
at  New  York,  they  were  sadly  disappointed  in  their  expecta 
tions.  No  such  regiment  as  had  been  represented  was  in  readi 
ness  to  receive  them,  and  they  were  utterly  neglected.  Those 
by  whom  they  were  encouraged  to  come  to  New  York  gave  them 
no  support  or  assistance  ;  and  they  telegraphed  to  the  Governor 
for  transportation  to  return  home  again.  They  came  back,  and 
again  went  to  New  York,  and  entered  the  Mozart  Regiment,  so 
called. 

June  3.  — In  regard  to  these  companies,  the  Governor  tele 
graphed  to  Frank  E.  Howe,  "Brooklyn  must  prepare  to  return 
our  three  companies.  We  have  incurred  expense,  raised  hopes  ; 
and  Brooklyn  has  cruelly  misled,  disappointed,  and  mortified 
us."  Colonel  Sargent,  by  direction  of  the  Governor,  writes  to 


LETTER    TO    GENERAL    SCOTT.  207 

Henry  Ward  Beecher,  asking  if  Brooklyn  people  will  send  the 
companies  back.  If  not,  Massachusetts  will  pay  the  expense. 
Also,  writes  a  letter  of  introduction  for  William  E.  Parmenter, 
Esq.,  of  West  Cambridge,  to  Colonel  Howe.  Mr.  Parmenter 
went  on  to  see  about  the  West-Cambridge  company. 

The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Colonel  Dalton,  at  Washington, 
"  Urge  desperately  for  one  more  regiment  from  Massachusetts. 
It  is  next  to  impossible  for  us  to  get  along  without  at  least  one 
more." 

June  4.  —  Governor  telegraphs  to  Colonel  Dalton,  at  Wash 
ington,  "Can  regiments  be  received  without  tents  and  wagons? 
Hearing  that  the  Government  can't  supply  them,  we  contracted, 
and  expect  some  in  a  few  days,  and  can  forward  regiments  soon 
as  mustered,  and  wagons  and  tents  received.  Will  forward  the 
regiments,  and  send  things  afterwards,  if  permitted." 

June  5.  —  Governor  writes  a  long  letter  in  answer  to  one 
received  from  Colonel  Hinks,  of  the  Eighth  Regiment,  then  in 
Maryland,  who  had  asked  that  the  regiment  might  be  detained 
in  the  service  as  one  of  the  six  regiments  asked  for  the  three 
years'  service.  The  Governor  declines  to  entertain  the  propo 
sition.  "  As  the  men  have  a  right  to  come  home  at  the  end  of 
three  months,  and  the  officers  cannot  speak  for  them,  they  must 
speak  for  themselves." 

June  10,  1861 
To  Lieutenant- General  WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

GENERAL,  —  His  Excellency  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts 
orders  me  to  make  a  detailed  statement  to  you  in  regard  to  Cobb's 
Flying  Artillery.  Major  Cobb  raised,  drilled,  and  commanded  Cook's 
Battery,  now  in  service  under  General  Butler;  and  understands 
himself. 

He  has  one  hundred  and  fifty  picked  men,  most  carefully  selected; 
six  pieces  rifled  and  throwing  twelve-pound  shot  and  nine-pound  shell 
(concussion),  intended  to  burst  on  striking  a  column  of  men.  The 
principle  is  beautiful. 

Captain  Van  Brunt,  of  the  "  Minnesota,"  saw  a  trial  of  these  guns 
with  shot,  and  expressed  surprise  and  delight.  The  trials  with  shell 
are  pronounced  by  competent  judges  to  be  even  more  satisfactory,  with 
equal  precision,  at  three  and  a  half  degrees  elevation,  one  thousand 
three  hundred  and  fifty  yards'  distance,  one  and  a  half  pounds  powder, 


208  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

time  four  and  a  half  seconds.  The  shot,  weighing  with  patch  twelve 
pounds,  were  thrown  from  these  rifled  six-pounders  with  precision 
enough  to  strike  a  section  nearly  every  time ;  and  most  of  them  were 
thrown  within  four  feet  lateral  deviations,  towards  the  latter  part  of 
the  trial.  The  guns  are  bronze,  of  course. 

At  twelve  degrees  elevation,  chronometer  measurement  over  water 
indicated  a  flight  of  two  and  a  half  miles  before  ricochet.  At  twenty 
degrees,  ricochet  was  lost. 

The  shells  burst  beautifully.  There  is  no  lead  to  strip  off  over  the 
heads  of  men,  and  they  are  very  safe  to  handle  or  drop.  The  charge 
fits  so  loosely,  expanding  after  ignition  of  the  powder,  that  a  child  can 
ram  the  shot  home.  Major  Cobb  can  fire  one  hundred  rounds  from 
his  battery  in  six  minutes. 

Every  thing  —  horses,  wagons,  and  all  —  is  ready  for  your  call. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  sir,  your  most  respectful  and  obedient 
servant,  HORACE  BINNEY  SARGENT,  Aide-de-camp. 

June  10.  — The  Governor  writes  to  Governor  Buckingham,  of 
Connecticut,  "I  have  your  letter  of  the  7th,  inclosing  duplicate 
letter  of  credit  for  £10,000  on  George  Peabody,  which  you 
state  will  be  sent  to  Mr.  Crowninshield.  That  gentleman  has 
already  received  orders  to  execute  your  orders ;  and  I  trust  that 
he  will  be  able  to  do  so." 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  gave  written  instructions  to 
Colonel  Ritchie,  of  his  personal  staff,  to  visit  our  regiments  at  the 
front,  and  confer  with  General  Scott  as  regards  future  movements, 
and  to  report.  The  Governor  writes  to  General  Scott,  asking 
the  discharge  of  Captain  Henry  S.  Briggs,  of  the  Eighth  Regi 
ment,  M.V.M.,  three  months'  regiment,  that  he  may  com 
mission  him  colonel  of  the  Tenth  Regiment,  three  years'  service. 
Captain  Briggs  was  discharged,  and  commissioned  colonel  of  the 
Tenth,  June  21,  18(51.  He  served  gallantly  through  the  war, 
and  was  appointed  brigadier-general  of  volunteers  by  President 
Lincoln,  for  brave  and  meritorious  services  in  the  field.  He 
was  wounded  in  the  seven  days'  fight  before  Richmond,  in  1862, 
but  remained  in  service  to  the  end  of  the  war.  He  is  a  son 
of  the  late  Hon.  George  N.  Briggs,  formerly  Governor  of 
Massachusetts,  and  he  is  now  Auditor  of  State,  having  been 
elected  three  times  to  that  responsible  position. 

June  14.  —  Governor  telegraphs  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 


LETTER  TO  COLONEL  WEBSTER.  209 

"Lieutenant  Amory,  U.S.A.,  mustering  officer  in  Boston, 
thinks  we  ought  to  furnish  thirty  wagons,  instead  of  fifteen,  for 
every  thousand  men.  If  so,  we  will  send  wagons  additional  to 
fifteen."  The  Executive  Council  passed  an  order  to  have  the 
Twelfth  Kegiment  (Colonel  Webster)  go  to  Fort  Warren, 
preparatory  to  being  mustered  into  the  service. 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor's  military  secretary  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  Colonel  Webster  :  — 

To  Colonel  WEBSTER. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  His  Excellency  the  Governor,  having  accepted  an 
invitation  to  assist  in  raising  an  American  flag  on  the  summit  of  the 
monument  at  Bunker  Hill,  will  take  pleasure,  if  you  will  join  his 
military  staff  on  that  occasion,  —  the  17th  of  June. 

The  staff  will  meet  at  the  private  room  of  the  Governor,  at  the 
State  House,  on  the  morning  of  that  day,  in  season  to  take  carriages 
for  Charlestown  at  eight  o'clock. 

It  is  desired  that  there  may  be  no  delay  as  to  the  time  of  starting 
for  Charlestown ;  for,  according  to  the  programme  of  the  managers  of 
the  celebration,  it  is  expected  that  the  Governor  and  staff  shall  be 
present  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Warren,  President  of  the  Monument 
Association,  at  half-past  eight  o'clock. 

Very  truly,  your  obedient  servant, 

A.  G.  BROWNE, 
Military  Secretary  to  Commander-in-chief. 

June  15.  — The  Governor  addressed  the  following  letter  to  the 
President  of  the  United  States,  which  was  given  to  Mr.  William 
Everett,  and  taken  by  him  to  Washington,  and  delivered  to  Mr. 
Lincoln  :  — 
His  Excellency  A.  LINCOLN,  President  United  States. 

SIR,  —  I  beg  to  present  Mr.  Everett,  of  Boston,  a  son  of  the  Hon. 
Edward  Everett,  and  through  him  to  present  to  your  notice  a 
copy,  — 

1.  Of  a  letter  from  Bishop  Fitzpatrick  to  yourself. 

2.  Copy  of  your  Excellency's  endorsement  thereon. 

3.  Copy  of  endorsement  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

4.  A  letter  from  myself  to  Mr.  H.  A.  Pierce,  the  agent  of  the 
regiment  referred  to. 

5.  A  copy  of  my  general  order,  under  which  our  six  regiments  were 
designated,  and  encamped  regiments  provided  for. 

14 


210  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

I  do  this  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  system  in  which  I  have 
proceeded  in  regard  to  the  three  years'  men,  the  effect  of  progress 
made  and  making,  and  what  we  are  willing  and  desire  to  do ;  and 
also  what  is  the  truth  as  to  the  Fourteenth*  (Irish  regiment),  which  I 
am  as  willing  to  forward  as  any  other,  but  not  to  the  cost  or  injustice 
to  others  by  deranging  the  scheme.  If  the  United-States  Government 
will  designate  any  special  regiment,  without  leaving  any  responsibility 
of  selection  on  me,  I  will,  however,  proceed  with  the  utmost  zeal  and 
alacrity  to  execute  its  order,  whether  it  agrees  with  my  scheme  or  not. 

Again  I  wish  to  urge  attention  to  our  splendid  new  battery  of  light 
artillery,  specially  prepared  for  service ;  arid  to  add,  that,  if  the  want 
of  a  United-States  army  officer  is  in  the  way,  I  should  be  very  glad 
to  have  one  detailed,  and  allowed  to  take  its  command. 

I  am,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

The  above  letter  requires  explanation.  The  Fourteenth  Regi 
ment  referred  to  was  composed,  in  great  part,  of  men  of  Irish 
birth.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  Colonel  Thomas  Cass,  of 
Boston,  proposed  to  raise  an  Irish  regiment  for  the  three  months' 
service.  lie  had  been  long  and  favorably  connected  with  the 
volunteer  militia  of  Massachusetts.  His  request  was  granted, 
and  the  regiment  was  raised ;  but,  before  its  organization  could 
be  completed,  information  was  received  from  Washington  that 
no  more  three  months'  regiments  would  be  accepted.  Coinci 
dent  with  the  request  made  by  Colonel  Cass,  an  offer  was  made 
by  Dr.  Smith  and  others,  of  Boston,  to  raise  a  second  Irish 
regiment,  which  they  were  pleased  to  designate  "  the  Irish  Bri 
gade."  This  regiment  was  to  be  commanded  by  a  person  by  the 
name  of  Rice,  who  was  not  a  citizen  of  Massachusetts,  although 
he  was  here  at  the  time,  and,  so  far  as  the  writer  knew,  of 
no  military  experience  whatever.  This  regiment  was  also  raised, 
but  was  not  accepted,  for  the  same  reasons  that  Colonel  Cass's 
regiment  was  not.  When  the  call  was  made  for  three  years' 
troops,  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  men  composing  the  two 
regiments  agreed  to  enlist  for  three  years  ;  and  both  were  sent  to 
Long  Island,  Boston  Harbor,  until  their  organizations  could  be 
completed,  and  the  regiments  accepted  by  the  Government.  The 


The  disbanded  old  Fourteenth  Regiment. 


ORGANIZATION    OF   THE    IRISH    REGIMENTS.  211 

long  delay,  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  fixing  the  quota  of  Massa 
chusetts  under  the  first  call  of  the  President  for  three  years'  men, 
and  his  persistent  refusal,  for  a  still  longer  time,  to  accept  more 
than  six  regiments  from  this  State,  and  the  uncertainty  which 
existed  whether  they  would  be  accepted  at  all,  had  a  demoral 
izing  and  pernicious  effect  upon  both  commands.  When,  how 
ever,  orders  were  received  on  the  twenty-second  day  of  May, 
that  Massachusetts  was  to  furnish  six  regiments,  the  Governor 
determined  that  one  of  the  six  should  be  an  Irish  regiment.  At 
this  time,  neither  of  the  Irish  regiments  were  full.  They  were 
designated  the  Thirteenth  and  Fourteenth  Regiments.  Until  a 
regiment  was  full,  —  that  is,  with  ten  companies,  and  each  com 
pany  with  ninety-eight  enlisted  men  and  three  commissioned 
officers, — it  could  not  be  mustered  into  the  United-States  service, 
and  consequently  could  not  receive  United-States  pay.  Colonel 
Cass's  regiment  lacked  about  two  hundred  men  to  complete  it  to 
the  maximum.  These  men  were  to  be  obtained  at  once;  and 
the  Governor  decided  that  these  men  should  be  taken  from  the 
Fourteenth  Eegimeiit,  which  numbered  only  about  six  hundred 
men. 

The  Adjutant-General  was  ordered  by  the  Governor  to  effect 
this  consolidation.  He  proceeded  the  same  day  to  Long  Island 
with  the  Governor's  orders,  which  he  read  to  the  officers  of  the 
Fourteenth,  and  requested  their  assistance  to  fill  up  the  regi 
ment  of  Colonel  Cass.  It  appeared  that  the  intention  of  the 
Governor  had  been  known  at  the  camp  before  the  Adjutant- 
General  arrived  ;  and  a  meeting  of  the  officers  had  been  held,  at 
which  resolutions  had  passed  condemnatory  of  the  orders  of  the 
Governor,  which  resolutions  were  to  appear  in  the  Boston 
papers  the  next  morning.  The  resolutions  which  were  passed 
were  shown  to  the  Adjutant-General  upon  his  arrival  at  Long 
Island.  He  read  them  with  surprise,  and  told  Mr.  Rice  and  the 
officers,  that,  if  they  were  made  public,  he  thought  the  Gov 
ernor  would  order  the  organization  to  be  disbanded  at  once.  The 
resolutions  were  suppressed.  After  considerable  difficulty,  and  a 
good  deal  of  forbearance,  a  sufficient  number  of  men  agreed  to 
join  Colonel  Cass's  regiment  to  fill  it  up  ;  and,  in  a  few  days 
afterwards,  it  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States 


212  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

as  the  Ninth  Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteers.  The  remain- 
inn;  men  of  the  Fourteenth,  through  heeding  advice  given  them  by 
disappointed  aspirants  for  commissions,  became  dissatisfied,  and 
left  the  island.  As  they  had  not  signed  the  enlistment  paper,  and 
had  not  been  mustered  into  the  United-States  service,  they  could 
not  be  held  to  service.  Nothing  was  further  from  the  desire  of 
the  Governor  or  the  Adjutant-General  than  to  break  up  or  dis 
band  this  nucleus  of  a  regiment.  But  bad  counsels  prevailed, 
and  unjust  complaints  were  made,  which  demoralized  the  men, 
and  rendered  it  necessary  in  the  end  to  disband  the  organization. 
Many  of  the  men  went  to  New  York,  and  joined  regiments 
there.  Some  returned  to  their  homes,  and  others  entered 
regiments  which  were  being  organized  in  other  parts  of  the 
State.  The  letter  of  Bishop  Fitzpatrick,  mentioned  in  the  Gov 
ernor's  letter  to  the  President,  we  have  no  doubt  was  an  earnest 
request  that  the  President  would  allow  more  regiments  to  be 
furnished  by  Massachusetts,  and  that  the  so-called  Fourteenth 
Regiment  should  be  one  of  them. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  imposing  ceremonies  of  the 
year  was  the  flag-raising  from  the  summit  of  Bunker-Hill  Monu 
ment  on  the  seventeenth  day  of  June,  the  anniversary  of  the  bat 
tle.  The  day  was  warm  and  pleasant,  and  a  large  concourse  of 
people  were  assembled.  At  the  base  of  the  monument  a  stage 
was  erected,  on  which  were  the  officers  of  the  Association,  the 
school  children,  the  city  authorities  of  Charlestown,  Governor 
Andrew  and  his  staff,  Colonel  Fletcher  Webster,  of  the  Twelfth 
Regiment,  and  many  other  prominent  citizens  of  the  State.  A 
fine  band  of  music  played  national  airs.  The  services  were  opened 
by  prayer  by  the  Rev.  James  B.  Miles  ;  and  a  short  and  eloquent 
address  was  made  by  Hon.  G.  Washington  Warren,  introdu 
cing  Governor  Andrew,  who  was  received  with  hearty  cheers 
by  those  present.  The  Governor's  address  was  brief,  fervent, 
eloquent,  and  patriotic.  After  referring  to  the  men  of  the  Revo 
lution  who  had  sacrificed  their  lives  for  independence,  and  made 
moist  the  soil  of  Bunker  Hill  with  their  blood,  he  said,  — 

"  It  is  one  of  the  hallowed  omens  of  the  controversy  of  our  time, 
that  the  men  of  Middlesex,  the  men  of  Charlestown,  the  men  of 
Concord,  of  Lexington,  of  Acton,  are  all  in  the  field  in  this  contest. 


FLAG   RAISING    ON   BUNKER   HILL.  213 

This  day,  this  hour,  reconsecrated  by  their  deeds,  are  adding  additional 
leaves  to  the  beautiful  chaplet  which  adorns  the  fair  honor  of  good  old 
Massachusetts.  Not  unto  me,  not  unto  us,  let  any  praise  be  given. 
Let  no  tongue  dare  speak  a  eulogy  for  us ;  but  reserve  all  the  love 
and  gratitude  that  language  can  express  for  the  patriotic  sons  of 
Massachusetts  who  are  bearing  our  country's  flag  on  the  field  of 
contest.  .  .  . 

"  Obedient,  therefore,  to  the  request  of  this  Association,  and  to  the 
impulse  of  my  own  heart,  I  spread  aloft  the  ensign  of  the  republic, 
testifying  for  ever,  to  the  last  generation  of  men,  of  the  rights  of  man 
kind,  and  to  constitutional  liberty  and  law.  Let  it  rise  until  it  shall 
surmount  the  capital  of  the  column,  let  it  float  on  every  wind,  to  every 
sea  and  every  shore,  from  every  hill-top  let  it  wave,  down  every 
river  let  it  run.  Respected  it  shall  be  in  Charlestown,  Massachusetts, 
and  in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  on  the  Mississippi  as  on  the 
Penobscot,  in  New  Orleans  as  in  Cincinnati,  in  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  as 
on  Lake  Superior,  and  by  France  and  England,  now  and  for  ever. 
Catch  it,  ye  breezes,  as  it  swings  aloft ;  fan  it,  every  wind  that  blows ; 
clasp  it  in  your  arms,  and  let  it  float  for  ever,  as  the  starry  sign  of 
Liberty  and  Union,  now  and  for  ever,  one  and  inseparable." 

The  flag  had  been  at  the  summit  of  the  staff,  rolled  up  as  the 
signal-flags  are  on  board  of  a  man-of-war.  As  Governor 
Andrew  concluded,  he  pulled  the  rope,  the  knot  was  loosened, 
and  the  flag  floated  out  on  the  breeze,  amid  the  shouts  of  the 
assembled  thousands,  and  the  playing  of  the  Star-spangled 
Banner  by  Gilmore's  band.  The  words  of  the  Star-spangled 
Banner  were  then  sung  by  F.  A.  Hall,  Esq.,  of  Charlestown; 
and  the  whole  assemblage  joined  in  the  chorus,  the  ladies  taking 
part  with  peculiar  zest. 

The  Governor  then  called  for  nine  cheers  to  the  glorious  Star- 
spangled  Banner,  which  were  given  with  great  heart,  the  ladies 
waving  their  handkerchiefs. 

When  the  excitement  had  somewhat  subsided,  the  Governor 
came  forward,  and,  in  a  few  complimentary  remarks,  introduced 
to  the  audience  Colonel  Webster.  The  speech  of  this  gentle 
man  was  brief  and  appropriate.  His  father  had  made  the 
oration  when  the  corner-stone  of  the  monument  was  laid,  and 
again  when  the  monument  was  completed.  Colonel  Webster 
said  he  well  remembered  the  preliminary  meetings  of  the  com- 


214  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

mittee  selected  to  decide  upon  the  size,  character,  design,  and 
site  of  this  monument.  They  met  frequently  at  his  father's 
house.  lie  could  remember  the  appearance  of  most  of  them, — 
Colonel  Thomas  H.  Perkins,  William  Sullivan,  and  Gilbert 
Stuart,  the  great  painter,  whose  enormous  block-tin  snuff-box 
attracted  his  youthful  attention. 

"  As  a  boy,  I  was  present  at  the  laying  of  the  corner-stone  of  this 
great  obelisk  under  whose  shadow  we  now  are.  La  Fayette  laid  the 
stone  with  appropriate  and  imposing  masonic  ceremonies.  The  vast  pro 
cession,  impatient  of  unavoidable  delay,  broke  the  line  of  march,  and  in 
a  tumultuous  crowd  rushed  towards  the  orator's  platform ;  and  I  was 
saved  from  being  trampled  under  foot,  by  the  strong  arm  of  Mr.  George 
Sullivan,  who  lifted  me  on  his  shoulders,  shouting,  'Don't  kill  the 
orator's  son ! '  and  bore  me  through  the  crowd,  and  placed  me  on 
the  staging  at  my  father's  feet.  I  felt  something  embarrassed  at  that 
notice,  as  I  now  do  at  this  unforeseen  notice  by  His  Excellency;  but  I 
had  no  occasion  to  make  an  acknowledgment  of  it."  He  had  also 
noticed  the  ceremonies  of  the  completion  of  the  monument  in  the  pres 
ence  of  many  distinguished  persons  from  all  parts  of  the  country, 
"  some  of  whom,"  said  Colonel  Webster,  "  I  regret  to  say  would  hardly 
like  to  renew  that  visit,  or  recall  that  scene. 

"  Within  a  few  days  after  this,  I  sailed  for  China ;  and  I  watched, 
while  light  and  eyesight  lasted,  till  its  lofty  summit  faded  at  last  from 
view.  I  now  stand  again  at  its  base,  and  renew  once  more,  on  this 
national  altar,  vows,  not  for  the  first  time  made,  of  devotion  to  my 
country,  its  Constitution  and  Union." 

He  concluded  as  follows  :  — 

"  From  this  spot  I  take  my  departure,  like  the  mariner  commencing 
his  voyage ;  arid,  wherever  my  eyes  close,  they  will  be  turned  hither- 
ward  toward  this  North ;  and,  in  whatever  event,  grateful  will  be  the 
reflection  that  this  monument  still  stands,  —  still,  still  is  gilded  by 
the  earliest  beams  of  the  rising  sun,  and  that  still  departing  day 
lingers  and  plays  on  its  summit  for  ever." 

The  services  concluded  by  a  benediction  by  the  venerable 
Father  Taylor.  The  flag  thus  raised,  floated  from  its  serene 
height  during  the  entire  war,  until  it  was  respected  in  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  as  in  Charlestown ,  Massachusetts.  Few  men 
who  knew  Colonel  Webster,  can  read  the  words  uttered  by  him 
on  this  occasion,  without  recalling  many  pleasant  memories  con- 


SPEECH  OF  COLONEL  WEBSTER.  215 

nected  with  his  name.  It  was  his  last  utterance  in  public ;  for, 
before  the  close  of  the  next  year,  he  fell  in  Virginia,  at  the  head 
of  his  regiment,  in  a  desperate  battle.  His  body  was  brought 
home  to  Massachusetts,  and  lay  in  state  at  Faneuil  Hall  a  day, 
when  it  was  taken  to  Marshfield,  and  buried  by  the  side  of  his 
illustrious  father,  "  and  there  it  will  remain  for  ever." 


CHAPTER     V. 

Death  of  Governor  Andrew  —  The  Great  Loss  —  Mission  of  Mr.  Crowninshield 
to  Europe  —  The  Purchase  of  Arms  —  Colonel  Lucius  B.  Marsh  —  Vote  of 
Thanks  by  the  Council  —  The  Policy  of  the  Governor  in  making  Military 
Appointments  —  Letter  to  General  Butler  in  regard  to  our  Soldiers  —  Neglect 
of  Officers  —  Letter  to  Colonel  Couch,  of  the  Seventh —  Sends  Two  Thousand 
Muskets  to  Wheeling,  Va.  —  General  Lander — Governor  Stevens,  of  Oregon 

—  General  Sherman  comes  to  Boston  to  confer  with  the  Governor  —  The  War 
Department  and  Appointments  —  Governor  makes  an  Address  to  the  People 

—  Mission  to  Washington  —  Writes  to  Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania  — 
Blockade-runners  at  Halifax  —  Governor  saves  the  Life  of  a  Private  Soldier 

—  His  Letter  to  Patrick  Donahoe  —  Religious  Toleration  —  To  the  Editor  of  the 
Boston   Post  —  Massachusetts   Companies  in  New- York   Regiments  —  Gene 
ral  Sherman's  Command  —  Liberality  of  the  People  —  Battle  of  Ball's  Bluff 

—  The   Massachusetts  Dead  —  A  Noble  Letter  —  Exchange  of  Prisoners  — 
Governor's  Letter  to  President  Lincoln  —  Scheme  to  invade  Texas  —  Sug 
gests  that  Congress  offer  Bounties  —  Controversy  about  making  Massachusetts 
Soldiers  catch  Fugitive  Slaves  —  Letter  to  General  McClellan  —  Another  Let 
ter  to  the  President,  about  Exchange  of  Prisoners  —  Our  Men  in  Richmond 
Jail  —  San  Francisco  sends  Two  Thousand  Dollars  for  Soldiers'  Families  — 
The  Maryland  Legislature  —  Liberal  Action  —  The  Republican   State   Con 
vention  —  Interesting    Debate  —  Democratic    Convention  —  Thanksgiving 
Proclamation  —  Thanksgiving  in  the  Massachusetts  Camps  —  Major  Wilder 
Dwight  —  The  Second  Regiment  at  Harper's  Ferry  —  Full  Account  of  the 
Controversy  between  Governor  Andrew  and  Major-General  Butler  about  re 
cruiting  and  raising  Regiments  in  Massachusetts. 

THE  last  chapter  was  finished  on  the  thirtieth  day  of  October, 
when  an  event  occurred  which  brought  sorrow  to  every  true 
heart  in  the  nation  :  John  A.  Andrew  died  on  that  day.  The 
preceding  pages  of  this  work  have  exhibited,  in  an  imperfect 
and  feeble  manner,  a  portion  of  the  services  which  he  rendered 
to  his  State  and  country  in  the  hour  of  its  greatest  peril,  — we 
say  imperfect  and  feeble,  because  much  which  he  did  was  never 
put  in  writing,  and  many  of  his  best  thoughts  and  wisest  sug 
gestions  were  the  inspiration  of  the  moment,  and  conveyed  to 
his  friends  and  subordinates  in  colloquial  conversation.  We  had 


DEATH  OF  GOVERNOR  ANDREW.  217 

known  him  long  and  well ;  and,  during  the  five  years  of  his 
administration  as  Governor  of  this  Commonwealth,  our  connec 
tion  was  official  and  confidential.  We  saw  him  every  day,  and 
had  occasion  to  consult  him  upon  nearly  every  matter  in  relation 
to  the  part  which  Massachusetts  took  in  the  war.  He  was 
one  of  the  few  men  whom  we  have  known,  upon  whom  public 
life  worked  no  detriment  to  the  simplicity,  honesty,  and  kind 
ness  of  their  character.  No  man  ever  appeared  in  his  presence 
to  make  a  dishonest  proposition.  If  any  one  approached  him  for 
such  a  purpose,  he  would  not  have  had  the  hardihood  to  make 
it.  His  mind  was  active,  and  labor  appeared  to  give  him 
strength,  rather  than  weakness.  It  was  the  wonder  of  us  all, 
how  he  could  stand  so  much  bodily  and  mental  labor.  When 
not  absent  from  the  city  upon  business  connected  with  the  war, 
at  Washington,  he  was  in  his  room  at  the  State  House,  like  a 
skilful  and  steady  pilot  at  the  helm,  guiding  the  Ship  of 
State. 

We  all  felt  his  loss  when  he  was  absent,  and  felt  relieved  when 
he  returned.  In  the  darkest  hours  of  the  war,  —  after  the  first 
Bull  Run  battle,  the  disastrous  affair  at  Ball's  Bluff  in  1861, 
after  the  retreat  of  McClellan  from  before  Richmond,  and  many 
of  the  stoutest  hearts  were  despondent,  and  the  peril  of  the  na 
tion  oppressed  the  minds  of  men,  —  Governor  Andrew  never 
lost  faith  or  hope  in  the  ultimate  success  of  our  arms,  and  the 
favorable  termination  of  the  conflict.  It  was  in  these  days  of 
depression,  these  hours  of  sadness,  that  he  shone  forth  with  the 
brightness  of  the  sun. 

Never  despair  of  the  republic,  was  his  motto,  and  guide  of 
life.  He  infused  hope  into  minds  bordering  almost  on  despair, 
and  his  acts  corresponded  with  the  promptings  of  his  heart.  We 
well  remember  one  night,  when  the  news  of  McClellan's  retreat 
reached  Boston  ;  the  papers  were  filled  with  accounts  of  the  ter 
rible  disaster ;  the  names  of  the  dead  and  wounded  of  Massa 
chusetts'  bravest  and  best  were  arrayed  in  the  ghastly  bulletins 
transmitted  from  the  front.  That  very  night,  the  Governor  said, 
"We  must  issue  a  new  order,  call  for  more  men,  incite  recruiting, 
inspire  hope,  dispel  gloom  ;  this  is  the  time  which  requires  bold 
ness,  firmness,  and  every  personal  sacrifice."  The  order  was 


218  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

issued  ;  it  aroused  the  latent  energies  of  the  people ;  young 
men,  who  had  not  before  thought  of  volunteering,  offered  them 
selves  as  recruits,  eager  to  press  forward  to  fill  the  gaps  which 
disaster  and  death  had  made  in  our  ranks  :  and  so  it  was  all 
through  the  war.  He  always  had  a  kind  word  for  the  soldiers 
and  their  families,  and  he  felt  every  word  he  spoke.  It  was  no 
lip-service  ;  it  was  no  honeyed  phrase ;  it  was  no  politician's 
flattery.  It  was  earnest  talk,  kind  talk.  Every  one  felt  it,  and 
were  wiser  men  and  truer  patriots  because  of  it. 

This  is  not  the  time,  nor  this  the  place,  to  speak  his  eulogy. 
No  one  but  Pericles  could  fitly  pronounce  the  honors  of  the 
Athenian  dead  ;  and  no  one  less  gifted  than  the  great  orator 
of  Greece  can  speak  the  eulogy  of  him  whom  we  have  lost. 

It  was  fitting  that  the  heart  of  Massachusetts  should  sigh 
when  John  A.  Andrew  died.  It  was  fitting  that  his  remains 
should  be  borne  to  the  grave  by  those  who  knew  him  best,  and 
loved  him  most,  —  the  funeral  cortege,  as  it  wound  its  solemn 
way  from  the  church  in  Arlington  Street  around  the  Common, 
past  the  State  House,  over  the  broad  avenue  leading  from  the 
city  ;  the  march  of  the  Cadets,  with  reversed  arms,  keeping  step 
to  the  funeral  dirge  ;  that  the  sidewalks  should  be  crowded  with 
well-dressed  men  and  women,  who  bowed  their  heads,  or  raised 
their  hats,  as  the  coffin  moved  before  them  to  its  resting-place 
in  Mount  Auburn. 

He  was  a  private  citizen  when  he  died ;  he  held  no  office ;  he 
had  no  honors  to  bestow  :  but  his  was  a  name  beloved  and  cher 
ished  in  all  loyal  hearts,  and  his  was  a  death  that  moved  them 
to  the  inmost  core.  He  died  when  his  manhood  was  in  its 
prime ;  when  the  fruits  of  his  wisdom  and  knowledge  were 
ripening,  and  the  future  was  holding  out,  with  favoring  hand,  the 
highest  honors  of  the  republic  ;  but  — 

"  He  has  gone  on  the  mountain, 

He  is  lost  to  the  forest, 
Like  a  summer-dried  fountain, 
When  our  need  was  the  sorest." 

We  pass  from  the  contemplation  of  the  character  and  merits 
of  the  dead  to  the  consideration  of  his  services  while  living. 
We  have  already  stated,  that  Francis  B.  Crowninshield,  of 


PURCHASE  OF  ARMS  IN  ENGLAND.          219 

Boston,  was  appointed,  in  April,  to  proceed  to  England  to  pur 
chase  arms.  Mr.  Crowninshield  discharged  the  important  trust 
confided  to  him  with  great  fidelity,  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
Governor.  It  may  be  interesting  to  learn,  from  so  intelligent  a 
party,  the  state  of  feeling  in  England  towards  this  country  in 
the  beginning  of  the  war. 

Mr.  Crowninshield  arrived  in  London  on  Sunday  morning, 
the  sixth  day  of  May.  He  found,  on  his  arrival,  that  there 
were  a  very  few  rifles  for  sale  in  England.  The  "Persia,"  the 
steamer  in  which  he  was  a  passenger,  had  taken  out  many  orders 
to  purchase.  He  found  an  agent  there  from  South  Carolina,  to 
purchase  arms  for  that  State.  New  York  had  also  sent  out  an 
agent  in  the  same  ship  with  him  ;  but  he  did  not  know  the  fact 
until  after  his  arrival  in  England.  There  were  also  several  pri 
vate  speculators  in  the  ship  for  the  purchase  of  arms.  Many 
telegrams  were  sent  from  Queenstown  to  England,  on  the  arrival 
of  the  "Persia"  at  that  port.  The  London  Times,  the  morning 
on  which  Mr.  Crowninshield  arrived  in  that  city,  contained 
the  announcement  that  agents  had  come  over  to  purchase  rifles, 
which  caused  great  excitement  in  the  trade. 

On  arriving  at  Liverpool,  Mr.  McFarland,  who  had  been  em 
ployed  to  go  with  Mr.  Crowninshield,  was  despatched  to  Birming 
ham,  and  directed  to  act  promptly  in  the  purchase  of  arms,  if  he 
found  any  there  suitable  for  our  purpose.  John  B.  Goodman, 
the  chairman  of  the  gun  trade  in  Birmingham,  had  the  control  of 
about  twenty-five  thousand  Enfield  rifles,  of  excellent  quality, 
which  could  be  delivered  in  a  very  short  time.  The  current  price 
for  these  arms  was  sixty  shillings  sterling  each  ;  a  party  stood 
ready  to  give  one  hundred  shillings  each  for  the  lot  to  go  South. 
The  preference  of  purchase  was  given  to  Mr.  Crowninshield, 
and  he  purchased  two  thousand  of  them  at  that  price.  One 
thousand  of  them  were  to  be  sent  in  the  "Persia,"  on  her  return 
voyage.  In  London,  he  purchased  two  thousand  eight  hundred, 
at  seventy  shillings  each ;  he  also  purchased  two  hundred  from 
the  London  Armory,  at  sixty-five  shillings  each. 

The  New-York  agent  purchased  about  the  same  number,  and 
contracted  for  about  fifteen  thousand  more ;  he  also  contracted 
for  five  thousand  second-hand  rifles,  used  in  the  Crimea.  The 


220  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

first  lot  of  guns  were  ready  to  be  sent  over ;  but  the  "  Persia  " 
would  not  take  them,  which  delayed  their  arrival  here. 

In  a  letter  to  the  Governor,  Mr.  Crowninshield  says,  "I  have 
not  ventured  to  approach  the  British  Government  about  guns, 
at  the  strong  recommendation  of  Mr.  Baring ;  but  one  of  the 
gun  trade,  who  has  the  means  to  do  so,  has  promised  to  sound 
them  about  buying  some  from  them  on  his  own  account.  I 
have  but  little  hope  of  success.  Colonel  Fremont,  who  is  here, 
assured  me  that  he  was  confident  I  could  do  nothing  in  France, 
but  has  written  for  information,  which  he  will  give  me.  The 
Government  seems  inclined  to  favor  the  South,  so  far  as  the 
question  of  cotton  is  concerned,  —  I  think  no  further.  I  have  a 
credit  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  from  Ohio,  with  author 
ity  to  buy  to  that  extent.  It  does  not  seem  to  me,  under  the 
emergency,  that  we  ought  to  haggle  too  much  about  the  price  : 
to  save  ten  thousand  dollars  might  be  to  lose  every  thing." 

Before  Mr.  Crowninshield's  return,  he  had  bought  and  con 
tracted  for  Massachusetts,  and  forwarded  part  of  them  home, 
19,380  Enfield  rifles,  and  10,000  sets  of  equipments,  with  which 
several  of  our  regiments  were  provided,  and  rendered  much  ser 
vice  in  the  war. 

Among  the  gentlemen  who  were  very  active  in  procuring 
arms  and  equipments  in  the  States,  and  indefatigable  and  untir 
ing  in  their  exertions  to  serve  the  Commonwealth  and  the  cause, 
was  Lucius  B.  Marsh,  whose  services  were  rendered  gratuitous 
ly.  In  recognition  of  them,  the  following  order  was  passed  by 
the  Executive  Council :  — 

Ordered,  That  the  thanks  of  the  executive  branch  of  the  Govern 
ment  of  Massachusetts  be  tendered  to  Lucius  B.  Marsh,  for  his  very 
valuable  services  to  the  State  in  the  procurement  of  arms  and  military 
equipments.  These  services  were  rendered  as  a  patriotic  duty  to  the 
country,  and  wholly  without  compensation,  and  entitle  him  to  the  grati 
tude  of  the  State,  and  to  that  of  every  loyal  citizen ;  and  it  is  further 
ordered,  that  the  generous  act  of  Mr.  Marsh  be  recorded  upon  the  books, 
of  the  Council,  and  that  a  copy  of  the  record  be  transmitted  to  him. 

Mr.  Marsh  was  chiefly  instrumental,  in  the  succeeding  year, 
in  raising  and  organizing  the  Forty-seventh  Regiment,  —  nine 
months'  troops,  —  of  which  he  was  commissioned  colonel.  The 


THE    ACT    OF   CONGRESS   CONCERNING   VOLUNTEERS.      221 

regiment  was  sent  to  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  and  served 
out  the  time  of  its  enlistment  in  the  defences  at  New  Or 
leans. 

On  the  twenty-second  day  of  July,  1861,  Congress,  in 
extra  session,  passed  an  act  authorizing  the  President  to  accept 
the  services  of  five  hundred  thousand  volunteers  ;  in  which  it 
was  provided,  that  "  the  President  shall,  from  time  to  time,  issue 
his  proclamation,  stating  the  number  desired,  and  the  States 
from  which  they  are  to  be  furnished,  having  reference  in  any 
such  requisition  to  the  number  then  in  service  from  the  several 
States,  and  to  the  exigencies  of  the  service  at  the  time,  and 
equalizing,  as  far  as  practicable,  the  number  furnished  by  the 
several  States,  according  to  the  federal  population."  This  act  also 
provided,  that  the  volunteer  regiments  and  companies  should  be 
recruited  and  organized,  and  the  officers  commissioned,  by  the 
Governors  of  the  several  States.  Under  this  authority  given 
by  Congress,  requisitions  continued  to  be  made  upon  Massachu 
setts,  as  upon  other  States,  during  the  year  1861,  and  regiments 
were  organized,  formed,  and  sent  to  the  front,  in  the  order  stated 
in  the  preceding  chapter.  It  was  the  desire  of  the  Governor  to 
have  the  regiments  commanded  by  the  best  educated  and  most 
experienced  officers  he  could  find.  In  the  selection  of  company 
officers,  the  same  care  was  taken.  Political  influences  to  obtain 
appointments  had  no  effect  upon  him  ;  as  he  frequently  declared, 
that  the  lives  of  the  soldiers,  their  health  and  discipline,  de 
pended  in  a  great  degree  upon  the  officers  who  commanded 
them,  and  that  mere  political  opinions,  and  the  mere  political 
services  of  applicants  for  commissions,  properly  had  no  connec 
tion  with  these  matters.  It  was  his  desire  to  have  as  many  of 
the  three  months'  men  enlist  in  the  three  years'  regiments  as 
possible  ;  and,  as  an  encouragement  to  this  end,  he  telegraphed, 
on  the  twenty-second  day  of  June,  to  Colonel  Ritchie,  who  was 
then  in  Washington,  "  Wouldn't  it  be  expedient  for  the  Mas 
sachusetts  militia-men  now  in  the  service  to  be  discharged,  who 
will  enlist  in  our  new  volunteer  regiments?  Many  of  the 
Eighth  Regiment,  I  am  told,  would  enlist,  if  this  opportunity 
were  given." 

He  also  telegraphed  to  the   Secretary  of  War,  asking  that 


222  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Lieutenant  Palfrey,  of  the  regular  army,  stationed  at  Fortress 
Monroe,  and  Lieutenant  Paine,  of  the  regular  army,  stationed 
at  Fort  Schuyler,  New  York,  both  of  whom  were  Massa 
chusetts  men,  might  be  furloughed  to  accept  colonelcies  in 
Massachusetts  volunteer  regiments.  He  also  telegraphed  to 
Senator  Sumner,  requesting  him  to  urge  Joseph  Hooker,  after 
wards  major-general  of  volunteers,  then  in  Washington  without 
a  command,  to  accept  the  commission  of  colonel  in  one  of  our 
regiments.  Neither  of  these  requests  were  granted. 

June  24.  —  Lieutenant  William  P.  Lee,  assistant  quarter 
master-general,  was  directed  to  accompany  the  steamers  "Cam 
bridge"  and  "Pembroke,"  to  Fortress  Monroe,  as  the  agent  of 
the  Commonwealth,  with  authority  to  sell,  charter,  or  make  any 
disposition  of  the  "  Pembroke  "  as  he  should  think  best. 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  wrote  a  long  letter  to  General 
Butler,  at  Fortress  Monroe,  concerning  the  Massachusetts  troops 
at  that  post,  under  his  command  ;  it  having  been  represented  to 
him  by  Colonel  Ritchie,  of  his  staff,  who  had  made  a  tour  of 
inspection,  that  the  men  were  suffering  for  the  want  of  canteens, 
shoes,  and  other  necessary  articles.  The  letter  fills  eight  pages, 
and  expresses  with  great  freedom  the  Governor's  profound  re 
gret  that  no  requisitions  had  been  made,  either  upon  the  General 
Government  or  upon  the  State,  for  articles  necessary  to  the 
comfort  and  health  of  the  troops.  He  informs  General  Butler 
that  he  has  that  day  forwarded  eight  hundred  canteens  to  supply 
the  Massachusetts  troops  at  Fortress  Monroe,  although  no 
requisition  had  been  made  for  them  by  any  one,  nor  proper 
information  received  that  they  were  in  need  of  them.  He  had 
also  been  informed  by  Colonel  Ritchie  that  the  men  were  in 
want  of  shoes  ;  but  no  intimation  of  the  kind  had  reached  him 
from  the  officers  at  Fortress  Monroe.  It  would  have  been 
absurd  to  "have  launched  out  canteens,  shoes,  or  any  other  arti 
cles,  upon  mere  unauthorized  rumors  of  need  for  them."  At  the 
same  time,  "  no  properly  authenticated  requisitions  have  ever 
reached  me  which  have  not  been  promptly  and  amply  answered." 
"In  the  complicated  and  unprecedented  relation  in  which  this 
State  stands  to  the  Federal  Government  with  regard  to  sup 
plies,"  he  thought  "  application  for  every  thing  should  in  the  first 


CONDITION  OF  OUR  SOLDIERS  AT  FORTRESS  MONROE.     223 

place  be  made  to  the  United  States."  The  men  were  mustered 
into  the  United-States  service,  and  were  United-States  soldiers. 
When  the  men  were  forwarded  upon  the  requisition  of  the  Presi 
dent,  the  Governor  represented  that  they  were  deficient  in  cer 
tain  necessary  equipments:  the  answer  was,  "No  matter  for 
any  deficiencies  :  only  hurry  on  the  men,  and  any  and  all  defi 
ciencies  will  be  supplied  here." 

He  considered,  therefore,  that  the  Federal  Government  had 
pledged  itself  to  see  our  troops  properly  supplied.  He  had  also 
received  a  despatch  from  General  Butler,  dated  May  20,  which 
said,  "The  Massachusetts  troops  are  now  supplied  with  all  pro 
visions  and  clothing  necessary  for  their  term  of  service."  How 
ever,  in  view  of  their  present  wants,  the  Governor  asked  him 
to  impress  upon  the  officers,  "that  if  their  men  need  any  neces 
sary  equipments  or  provisions  whatever,  and  fail  to  obtain  them 
from  the  United  States,  the  State  will  furnish  them." 

Colonel  Ritchie  had  also  informed  the  Governor,  that  there 
were,  at  Fortress  Monroe,  several  hundred  pairs  of  thin  trou 
sers,  which  had  been  condemned  as  unfit  for  service,  and  had 
not  been  issued  to  the  soldiers.     These  were  part  of  a  lot  of 
thin  clothing  sent  forward  in  April,  and  which  were  designed  to 
be  used  during  the  warm  weather.     The  Governor  hoped  Gen 
eral  Butler  would  issue  them  to  the  troops,  as  they  would  serve 
them  during  the  brief  remainder  of  their  term.     "Let  them," 
he  says,   "  get  what   comfort   out  of   them  they  can.     If  the 
United  States  will  not  accept  the  pecuniary  responsibility  for  the 
cost,  then  this  Commonwealth  must  defray  it.     The  question 
who  shall  pay  for  them  afterwards,  is  of  secondary  importance, 
if  our  troops  need  clothes."     The  Governor  also  represented  that 
no  report  had  reached  him,  from  any  source,  of  the  disposition 
of  the  Massachusetts  stores  sent  to  our  troops  at  Fortress  Mon 
roe,   and  particularly  of  the  cargo  sent    by  the  bark  "Aura." 
He  hoped,  as  a  Massachusetts  man,  having  a  common  interest  in 
the  comfort  and  reputation  of  Massachusetts  soldiers,  the  Gen 
eral  would  interest  himself  in  these  matters. 

On  the  eighth  day  of  July,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to 
Colonel  Dalton,  at  Washington,  that  he  might  sell  the  steamer 
"Cambridge"  for  $80,000,  exclusive  of  her  armament. 


224  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION . 

July  16. — He  wrote  a  long  letter  to  General  Butler,  protest 
ing  against  his  taking  "  from  the  three  months'  regiments  under 
his  command,  when  about  to  leave  for  home,  on  the  expiration 
of  their  time  of  service,  the  Springfield  rifled  muskets,  which 
they  carried  with  them,  and  giving  them  poor  smooth-bores  in 
exchange.  The  muskets  belonged  to  Massachusetts,  and  were 
wanted  to  arm  our  three-years'  volunteers."  The  rifled  muskets 
were  retained,  however,  and  the  men  came  home  with  the 
smooth-bores. 

On  the  same  day,  he  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in 
regard  to  Southern  privateers  capturing  our  commerce  on  the 
seas,  and  of  the  anxiety  felt  in  the  mercantile  community 
about  them.  He  urges  that  stronger  measures  be  taken  to  seal 
up  the  Southern  ports,  and  again  offers  him  the  privilege  of 
buying  the  steamers  "  Cambridge  "  and  "  Pembroke." 

The  Governor  was  unable  to  visit  the  camp  at  Taunton,  and 
witness  the  departure  of  the  Seventh  Regiment  from  the  State. 
He  wrote  an  excuse  to  Colonel  Couch,  in  which  he  expressed 
warmly  and  sincerely  his  regrets  that  business  required  his  pres 
ence  at  the  capital.  "I  am  reluctant,"  he  says,  "to  permit  any 
regiment  to  depart  from  Massachusetts  without  a  chance  to  bid 
it  God-speed,  that  I  was  even  inclined  to  delay  you  for  a  day  or 
two  in  order  to  secure  such  an  opportunity  ;  but,  on  reflection, 
it  seemed  to  me  unwise  to  postpone  for  a  mere  sentiment  your 
call  to  active  duty.  We  shall  watch  your  career,  and  rejoice 
in  your  successes  with  no  less  eager  interest  than  that  with 
which  we  followed  those  regiments  which  preceded  you,  and 
those  which  are  to  tread  in  your  footsteps.  And  to  you,  per 
sonally,  I  wish  to  express  my  thanks  for  your  quiet,  con 
siderate,  and  judicious  conduct ;  and  I  beg  you  never  to  hesitate 
to  call  upon  Massachusetts,  whenever  you  need,  for  sympathy 
and  aid." 

About  the  beginning  of  June,  an  agent  of  the  loyal  people 
in  the  city  of  Wheeling,  Va.,  came  to  Boston,  and  represented 
that  they  were  greatly  in  need  of  two  thousand  muskets,  which 
they  could  not  obtain  from  the  Government,  nor  from  any  of 
the  other  States.  Governor  Andrew,  aware  of  the  importance 
of  Wheeling  as  a  military  point,  agreed  at  once  to  furnish 


DISTINGUISHED    OFFICERS    OFFERED   COMMISSIONS.        225 

them,  and,  on  the  19th  day  of  July,  telegraphed  to  Hon.  John 
S.  Carlisle,  of  Wheeling,  that  they  had  been  forwarded,  con 
signed  to  Thomas  Hemlock,  collector  of  the  customs  at  that 
place. 

July  25.  — The  Governor  telegraphed  to  Colonel  Dalton,  at 
Washington,  to  find  out  whether  a  "company  of  sharpshooters, 
for  one  year  or  the  war,  would  be  accepted,  —  to  be  raised  in 
four  divisions  of  twenty-five  men  each,  with  four  lieutenants 
and  four  sergeants.  They  should  have  twenty-five  dollars  a 
month.  Their  rifles  will  cost  one  hundred  dollars  each  :  will 
the  Government  pay  for  them  ?  " 

July  2  7. --The  Governor  telegraphed  to  Colonel  Dalton, 
"  See  Frederick  W.  Lander,  who  is  reported  to  be  with 
McClellan  ;  offer  him  the  command  of  the  Seventeenth  Regi 
ment,  encamped  at  Lynnfield.  Definite  and  final  answer  imme 
diately  desired." 

July  30.  —  The  Governor  telegraphed  to  General  Wilson, 
United  States  Senate,  "I  will  give  Governor  S.  an  Essex  regi 
ment,  if  you  are  sure  of  your  man.  If  you  say  that  you  are 
sure,  telegraph  reply  and  send  him  on  immediately."  This  had 
reference  to  Governor  Stevens,  who  was  a  Senator  in  Congress 
from  Oregon,  a  man  of  Massachusetts  birth,  and  an  expe 
rienced  officer.  The  doubt  expressed  by  Governor  Andrew  in 
the  despatch  arose  from  the  fact  that  Governor  Stevens  had  sup 
ported  John  C.  Breckenridge  in  the  presidential  election.  From 
some  cause  unknown  to  the  writer,  Governor  Stevens  was  not 
commissioned  at  this  time.  He  was  afterwards  commissioned 
colonel  of  the  Seventy-ninth  Regiment,  New-York  Volunteers, 
and  was  killed  in  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run. 

Aug.  1.  —  The  Governor  writes  to  General  Ripley,  chief  of 
Ordnance  Bureau,  that  the  Massachusetts  regiments,  armed  with 
the  Enfield  rifles,  want  an  additional  supply  of  ammunition  ; 
and  he  wishes  to  know  whether  the  Government  "  does  not  in 
tend  to  supply  suitable  ammunition ;  if  not,  what  arrangements 
it  is  desirable  for  Massachusetts  to  make  ?  " 

Aug.  2.  —  The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Senator  Wilson,  at 
Washington,  "Has  any  provision  been  made  for  half-pay  to 

15 


226  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

soldiers'  families  ?  Such  an  arrangement  would  prevent  much 
suffering  this  winter." 

Aug.  3.  — The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Senators  Sumner  and 
Wilson,  "Can  it  be  intended  by  Congress,  that  volunteers  in 
the  field  shall  fill  vacancies  by  election?  Where  is  to  be  the 
source  of  discipline,  when  every  candidate  is  seeking  personal 
favor  of  the  men  ?  " 

Aug.  14.  —  The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Governor  Wash- 
burn,  of  Maine,  "General  Sherman  left  here,  this  afternoon, 
for  Concord,  N.H.,  intending  to  proceed  thence  to  Augusta. 
His  business  is  of  importance,  which  justifies  your  waiting  for 
him  there." 

General  Sherman  came  to  Boston  to  confer  privately  with 
the  Governor,  in  regard  to  an  expedition  contemplated  by  the 
Government  to  the  coast  of  North  Carolina.  Massachusetts 
was  to  furnish  three  regiments  for  it ;  New  Hampshire  and 
Maine  were  also  to  furnish  regiments.  General  Sherman  had 
commanded  a  brigade  at  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  had 
distinguished  himself  as  a  commanding  officer.  His  subsequent 
career  in  the  war  is  known  and  appreciated  by  all.  The  Gov 
ernor  entered  warmly  into  the  proposed  scheme,  and  promised 
him  the  support  he  required.  Out  of  this  promise  grew  the 
subsequent  controversy  between  the  Governor  and  General  But 
ler,  to  which  we  shall  hereafter  refer. 

Up  to  this  time,  no  definite  instructions,  pointing  out  the  man 
ner  of  filling  vacancies  in  volunteer  regiments  after  they  had 
left  the  State,  had  been  received  from  the  War  Department. 
The  act  of  Congress  of  July  22  appeared  to  be  clear  enough, 
that  the  vacancies  should  be  filled  by  appointments  made  by  the 
Governors  of  the  States ;  but  the  action  of  the  War  Depart 
ment  for  a  time  appeared  to  contravene  this  mode  of  action. 
The  Governor  had  written  to  our  Senators  in  Congress  in  re 
gard  to  the  subject,  but  had  received  no  satisfactory  reply. 
Accordingly,  on  the  16th  of  August,  he  wrote  to  the  Adjutant- 
General  of  the  United  States  army,  at  Washington,  upon  the 
subject ;  stating  that  he  was  continually  embarrassed,  from  want 
of  information  and  direction  from  the  military  authorities  of  the 


FILLING    VACANCIES,    ADDRESS    OF    THE    GOVERNOR.      227 

United  States  upon   this   important  point.      He  therefore    re 
quested  minute  information.     He  says, 

"  As  I  understand  it,  at  present,  I  can  appoint  to  no  vacancy  which 
is  not  officially  certified  to  me  by  the  United  States  Adjutant-General, 
from  headquarters,  at  Washington.  But  in  no  single  instance  has  any 
such  vacancy  been  so  certified  to  me  ;  and  yet  I  am  aware  that  many 
such  vacancies  exist,  and  I  am  continually  entreated  by  Massachusetts 
commanders  to  make  appointments  to  fill  them.  Within  the  past  week, 
I  have  received  notices  from  Major-General  Butler,  from  Fort  Monroe ; 
from  Colonels  Couch,  Cowdin,  and  Cass,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Blais- 
dell,  at  Washington;  and  from  Colonel  Gordon  and  Major-General 
Banks,  at  Harper's  Ferry,  —  of  vacancies  existing  among  the  officers  of 
their  respective  commands,  and  I  am  anxious  to  fill  them,  if  I  have  the 
power  to  do  so :  for  delay  in  filling  them  is  prejudicial  in  various  ways, 
which  I  need  not  mention." 

The  letter  had  the  desired  effect ;  and  from  that  time,  when  a 
vacancy  occurred,  the  Governor  was  immediately  notified  of  the 
fact  by  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  United  States,  and  an  ap 
pointment  made  to  fill  it. 

Aug.  17.  —  The  Governor  telegraphs  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  "I  have  unofficial  information,  that  General  Fremont  is 
wanting  muskets  and  equipments  in  Missouri.  Massachusetts 
can  and  will  send  him  from  five  to  ten  thousand,  if  the  Govern 
ment  says  so,  and  will  take  them  at  cost  price." 

On  the  20th  of  August,  the  Governor  published  a  short  and 
stirring  address  to  "the  citizen-soldiers  of  Massachusetts,"  call 
ing  upon  them  to  fill  up  the  regiments  recruiting  in  the  several 
camps  in  the  State,  and  to  fill  the  ranks  of  those  in  the  front 
which  had  suffered  loss  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  a  few  weeks 
before.  The  address  closed  in  these  words  :  "  Citizen-soldiers  of 
Massachusetts  !  Duty,  honor,  the  clearest  sentiments  of  patri 
otic  love  and  devotion,  call  for  your  hearts  and  unconquerable 
arms." 

Aug.  30.  —  The  Governor  sent  General  Reed,  Quartermaster- 
General,  and  Colonel  Browne,  his  private  secretary,  to  Wash 
ington,  with  instructions  to  arrange  for  the  settlement  of 
Massachusetts  claims  against  the  Government  for  money  and 
stores  furnished  by  the  State.  Among  the  results  of  this  mis- 


228  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

sion  was  the  payment  in  cash,  by  the  Government,  of  seven 
hundred  and  seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  An  elaborate  and 
carefully  matured  system  was  also  devised  for  the  adoption  and 
payment,  by  the  Federal  Government,  of  future  contracts  for 
military  stores.  These  gentlemen  were  furnished  with  letters 
by  the  Governor  to  the  President  and  members  of  the  Cabi 
net. 

Aug.  31.  —  Governor  telegraphs  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe, 
New  York,  "Find  George  S.  Greene,  late  of  the  United-States 
Engineer  Corps,  and  see  if  he  will  take  command  of  a  Massa 
chusetts  regiment."  On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  wrote  a 
letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  regard  to  the  high  prices 
paid  for  provisions  by  the  Government  here,  and  concerning  dis 
honest  practices  in  the  purchase  of  shoes  ;  and,  at  his  request, 
Senator  Wilson,  who  was  at  the  State  House,  sent  the  following 
telegram  to  the  Secretary  :  "  Pay  especial  attention  to  a  letter 
you  will  receive  from  Governor  Andrew  and  the  Commissary- 
General  of  Massachusetts  (Colonel  Brigham),  relative  to  the 
cost  of  rations  here  to  the  United-States  troops.  The  Govern 
ment  is  paying  much  more  than  the  State  does  for  the  same 
article.  It  is  reported  here,  on  good  authority,  that  army  shoes 
condemned  by  inspectors  in  New  York  are  sold  again  to  con 
tractors,  who  are  permitted  to  fill  their  contracts  with  them.  A 
competent  inspector  should  be  appointed  here,  to  see  that  com- 
demned  shoes  are  not  sold  a^ain." 

O 

Sept.  2.  — Governor  wrote  to  Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  — 

"  I  have  read,  with  great  interest  and  pleasure,  the  copy  of  your  com 
munication  of  the  21st  ult.  to  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
which  you  were  kind  enough  to  send  me,  and  in  which  you  have  so 
thoroughly  exposed  the  evils  resulting  from  the  interference  of  the  War 
Department  with  the  regular,  legal  mode  of  organizing  regiments  of 
volunteers. 

"  In  common  with  Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts  has  suffered  much 
loss  of  enthusiasm,  and  great  inconvenience,  from  those  irregularities 
of  which  you  so  justly  complain  :  but  I  trust  we  may  congratulate  our 
selves,  that  this  source  of  trouble  is  to  be  dried  up  at  the  fountain-head  ; 
as  I  have  received  the  most  positive  assurance  from  the  Secretary  of 
War,  that,  in  future,  no  outside  interference  with  the  regularly  consti- 


REBEL  BLOCKADE  RUNNERS.  229 

tuted  authorities  of  the  State  will  be  permitted,  and  that  persons  hold 
ing  commissions  from  the  War  Department,  authorizing  them  to  raise 
regiments  of  volunteers,  will  be  required  to  report  to,  and  take  orders 
from,  the  executive  departments  of  the  States. 

"  Hopeful  and  confident,  in  these  eventful  days,  that  all  will  yet  be 
well  with  the  republic,  I  have  the  honor  to  remain  your  obedient  ser 
vant." 

When  we  come  to  speak  of  recruiting  in  Massachusetts  by 
General  Butler,  which  began  about  this  time,  we  shall  find 
that  the  confident  hope  expressed  by  the  Governor,  that  the 
State  authorities  should  not  again  be  interfered  with,  proved 
wholly  delusive. 

On  the  26th  of  August,  the  Adjutant-General  wrote  to  Mr. 
Seward,  Secretary  of  State,  that  he  had  reliable  information, 
that  five  schooners  had  arrived  at  Halifax,  N.S.,  —  having 
run  the  blockade  in  North  Carolina,  —  and  had  landed  four 
teen  hundred  barrels  of  turpentine.  They  were  loading  again 
with  merchandise,  intending  to  run  the  blockade  on  their  return 
home.  The  names  of  the  vessels  were  given,  and  two  of  them 
were  captured  on  their  return  voyage.  The  following  telegram, 
dated  Sept.  3,  we  copy  from  the  Governor's  files  :  Senator  Wil 
son  to  Mr.  Seward,  —  "Is  your  consul  at  Halifax  thoroughly 
loyal  ?  Four  vessels  from  North  Carolina  have  recently  arrived 
there,  loaded  with  naval  stores,  and  are  now  loading  with  con 
traband  goods."  Same  day,  Governor  writes  to  General  Lan 
der,  "Will  you  please  look  out  for  the  welfare  of  Captain 
Sanders's  company  of  sharpshooters,  which  will  this  day  march 
almost  from  under  the  shadow  of  your  own  roof-tree,  in  the 
county  of  Essex?"  This  splendid  company  was  recruited  at 
"  Camp  Schouler,"  Lynnfield.  Captain  Sanders  was  killed  in 
battle,  Sept.  17,  1862. 

Sept.  10.  —  Governor  writes  to  the  selectmen  of  Wellfleet, 
acknowledging  the  receipt  of  five  hundred  dollars,  raised  in  that 
town  for  the  benefit  of  the  families  of  soldiers. 

Sept.  11.  —  Governor  writes  to  Major-General  John  A. 
Dix,  commanding  at  Baltimore,  "Pray  do  not  execute  private 
Stephen  C.  Scott,  of  our  Sixteenth  Regiment,  until  you  have 
given  his  friends  an  opportunity  to  be  heard ;  for  I  have  every 


230  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

reason  to  believe  the  man  has  been  for  a  long  time  crazy. 
Besides,  Colonel  Wyman  promised  his  friends  the  case  should 
be  delayed  until  all  the  evidence  on  either  side  can  be  collected." 
The  man  was  crazy.  He  was  sentenced  to  be  hung  for  killing 
a  comrade  :  he  was  pardoned  and  discharged  from  the  service. 

It  was  represented  to  the  Governor  by  Patrick  Donahoe, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  that  the  religious  opinions  of  some  of  the 
Catholic  soldiers  in  one  of  our  regiments  had  been  interfered 
with  by  the  officers.  The  Governor  wrote  to  Mr.  Donahoe, 
saying,  "  I  am  utterly  surprised  by  the  intimation  you  make. 
I  will  cause  our  Adjutant-General  to  pursue  a  strict  inquiry  into 
this  subject  immediately."  After  expressing  his  views  of 
religious  toleration,  he  says,  "Those  who  serve  God  according  to 
their  convictions,  are  not  likely  to  fear  man,  or  offend  against 
the  rights  of  others." 

A  paragraph  appeared  in  the  Boston  Morning  Post,  reflect 
ing  upon  a  part  of  the  Governor's  personal  staff,  which  caused 
him  to  address  a  private  letter,  on  the  16th  of  September, 
to  the  editors  of  that  paper,  showing  how  unjust  it  was, 
and  how  laborious  and  useful  their  gratuitous  services  had 
been. 

"  In  all  these,"  he  said,  "  my  staff  help  me,  —  not  deciding  nor 
establishing  any  thing,  but  investigating,  arranging,  reporting  and 
sometimes  executing,  —  always  modest,  loyal,  disinterested,  respectful 
to  others,  and  most  capable  and  efficient. 

"And  the  least  duty  /can  do  is  to  ask  that  they  may  not  be  re 
warded  by  sarcasm  or  unkind  remark. 

"  Whatever  is  rightly  done  may  be  credited  to  any  one  ;  but  whatever 
is  deemed  worthy  of  blame,  charge  it  to  ?ne,  not  to  them.  I  am  in  truth 
responsible,  acting  often  against  their  opinions  and  advice,  and  feeling 
at  all  times  perfectly  willing  to  meet  whatever  may  fall  thereon,  — 
conscious  of  no  merit  of  any  sort,  save  a  good  intent.  Excuse  this  note, 
—  one  I  should  not  have  written,  but  to  gentlemen  of  urbanity  who 
will  appreciate  the  feelings  of  a  gentleman  in  others." 

Sept.  17.  -  -  The  Governor  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  calling  his  attention  to  the  delay  on  his  request  for  the 
transfer  of  three  Massachusetts  companies  in  the  New- York 
Mozart  Regiment,  to  be  sent  to  Fortress  Monroe,  to  be  attached 


WAR   RELICS. REBEL    EMISSARY.  231 

to  the  seven  Massachusetts  companies  there,  and  the  ten  to 
form  a  regiment.  It  was  a  matter  that  ought  to  have  been  im 
mediately  attended  to  ;  for  while  the  companies  remained  in  the 
New- York  regiment,  and  were  credited  to  the  quota  of  that 
State,  the  families  of  the  men  were  deprived  of  the  benefits  of 
the  Massachusetts  State-aid  law,  which  would  amount  to  them, 
in  the  aggregate,  to  one  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  dollars 
a  year.  The  subject  was  presented  with  much  force  by  the 
Governor ;  but  the  transfer  never  was  made,  and  the  families 
were  deprived  of  the  State-aid  until  the  following  winter,  when 
the  Legislature  amended  the  State-aid  act,  so  as  to  include  them 
in  its  provisions. 

Sept.  18. — The  Governor  wrote  to  General  Stetson,  of 
the  Astor  House,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  fragments  of 
the  flag  taken  by  Colonel  Ellsworth,  at  Alexandria,  and  of  that 
which  waved  over  Fort  Pickens,  while  commanded  by  Lieu 
tenant  Slemmer,  U.S.A.  These  were  placed  among  the 
military  relics  and  trophies,  side  by  side  with  mementoes  of 
Lexington,  Bunker  Hill,  and  Bennington. 

Sept.  19.  —  The  Governor  telegraphed  to  Governor  Den- 
nison,  of  Ohio,  "Five  thousand  infantry  equipments  sent  for 
ward  to  day,  as  directed." 

Sept.  20.  — He  received  the  following  telegram  from  Joshua 
R.  Giddings,  American  Consul,  at  Montreal,  Canada. 

"  John  Bateman,  a  major  in  the  rebel  army,  bearer  of  despatches  to 
Europe,  and  now  returning,  will  be  at  the  Revere  House  this  evening. 
He  is  five  feet  nine  or  ten  inches  in  height,  dark  complexion,  dark 
hair,  wears  a  moustache,  and  has  the  evidence  of  guilt  on  his  person. 
I  have  also  telegraphed  Mr.  Seward." 

This  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  John  S.  Keyes,  United-States 
Marshal  for  this  district.  Major  Bateman,  however,  did  not 
come  to  Boston,  but  went  by  another  route  to  Nova  Scotia,  and 
sailed  in  the  steamer  from  Halifax  to  England.  Marshal 
Keyes  writes,  "  This  was  only  one  of  the  thousand  instances  of 
Governor  Andrew's  active  efforts  in  the  good  cause." 

Sept.  21.  — The  Governor  telegraphs  to  Secretary  Seward, 
"Large  quantities  of  shoes  are  shipped  from  this  city  to 


232  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

Louisville,  Ky.,  and  Baltimore,  Md.,  intended  for  the  rebel 
army.  Cannot  a  stop  be  put  to  it?  " 

Sept.  28.  —  The  Governor  writes  to  Senator  Wilson  to 
"  recommend  James  Magner  as  a  first  lieutenant  in  the  Twenty- 
second  Regiment,  that  he  might  be  commissioned,  and  detailed 
on  the  staff  of  General  Sherman."  This  was  not  done  ;  but 
Magner  was  afterwards  commissioned  a  lieutenant  in  the 
Twenty-eighth  Regiment,  and  was  killed  in  battle,  May  18, 
1864. 

Oct.  1.  — The  Governor  writes  to  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe, 
New  York,  "What  has  become  of  General  Sherman?  I 
have  not  heard  from  him  for  some  days.  Does  he  wish  Wilson's 
regiment  to  go  with  him  ?  The  regiment  is  expected  to  leave 
on  the  3d."  On  the  same  day,  he  writes  to  General  Scott, — 

"  It  is  my  desire  that  the  regiment  under  Colonel  Wilson  shall  form  a 
part  of  the  force  of  General  Sherman,  but  I  am  not  advised  whether  the 
battery  attached  to  the  regiment  is  desired  for  that  especial  service  ;  and, 
as  I  have  no  positive  recent  information  of  the  present  location  of 
General  Sherman's  camp,  I  await  orders  from  you. 

"There  seems  to  be  no  diminution  of  the  zeal  or  the  patriotism  of 
the  people  of  Massachusetts  ;  and  I  am  happy  in  being  able  to  report  to 
you  that  all  our  regiments  are  in  a  fair  way  to  be  speedily  filled  to  the 
maximum  standard." 

Oct.  3.  —  The  Governor  telegraphs  to  the  proprietors  of 
the  Stevens  House,  New  York,  "  Is  General  Sherman  in  New 
York?  if  so,  ask  him  if  he  wants  the  Massachusetts  battery  that 
will  arrive  there  to-morrow." 

Oct.  7.  -  -  The  Governor  issues  another  address  to  the 
people  of  Massachusetts,  urging  them  to  assist,  with  all  their 
power,  recruiting  for  our  regiments  in  the  Commonwealth,  and 
asking  the  citizens  to  forward  to  Boston,  without  delay,  such 
blankets  and  underclothing,  for  our  soldiers  at  the  seat  of  war, 
as  their  means  will  admit  of.  Quartermaster-General  Reed  also 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  Presidents  of  the  Massachusetts  railroads, 
inquiring  if  they  would  pass  over  their  several  roads  without 
charge,  during  the  next  two  weeks,  such  contributions  as  might  be 
received.  An  immense  quantity  of  blankets  and  underclothing 


BATTLE  OF  BALL'S  BLUFF.  233 

was  received  in  response  to  the  call,   and  forwarded  without 
delay  to  the  front. 

The  Governor  telegraphs  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  "Shall 
Wilson's  regiment  go  to  Old  Point  Comfort  by  sea  from 
New  York,  as  General  Sherman  requests  by  telegram  just 
received  ?  " 

The  same  day,  he  telegraphs  to  General  Scott,  "A  sufficient 
guard  shall  be  placed  at  Fort  Warren  at  any  moment  we  are 
directed.  If  a  force  specially  organized  shall  not  be  ready  at 
that  time,  the  Cadets,  who  constitute  the  Governor's  body 
guard,  will  act  in  the  mean  while." 

The  same  day,  he  telegraphs  to  General  Sherman,  at  New 
York,  "Wilson's  regiment  starts  to-morrow  for  Washington. 
He  is  directed  to  see  you  in  New  York,  and  take  such  other 
orders  as  may  be  given." 

A  sworn  statement  having  been  forwarded  to  the  Governor, 
making  serious  charges  against  the  quartermaster  of  the  Fifteenth 
Regiment,  the  Governor  sent  it  to  Colonel  Devens,  with  direc 
tions  to  make  an  investigation  of  the  charges.  In  the  letter,  he 
says,  "  I  am  determined  that  no  dishonest  officer  shall  hold  a 
commission  for  any  length  of  time,  after  the  full  proof  is  fur 
nished  to  me  which  establishes  his  guilt ;  and  I  feel  quite  sure, 
that,  in  this  view  of  my  official  duties,  I  shall  have  your  hearty 
support  and  co-operation."  The  charges  were  not  sustained. 

The  Governor,  at  this  time,  visited  Washington,  where  he 
had  gone  to  arrange  about  the  payment  of  Massachusetts  claims, 
and  did  not  return  until  the  twenty-second  day  of  October.  He 
was  successful  in  making  arrangements  for  payment. 

Oct.  23.  —  The  Governor  writes  to  Hon.  David  Sears,  of 
Boston,  thanking  him  for  his  offer  to  place  the  large  hall  in 
Liberty-tree  Block  at  the  disposal  of  the  Executive,  as  a  place 
of  deposit  for  articles  for  the  soldiers. 

The  battle  of  Ball's  Bluff  was  fought  Oct.  21.  The  Fif 
teenth  and  Twentieth  Massachusetts  Regiments  were  engaged 
in  it.  They  behaved  with  great  gallantry,  and  suffered  severely, 
especially  the  Twentieth.  On  the  25th,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Pal 
frey  telegraphed,  "  Colonel  Lee,  Major  Revere,  Adjutant  Peir- 
son,  Dr.  Revere,  and  Lieutenant  Perry,  prisoners  ;  Lieutenants 


234  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Babo  and  Wesselhoeft,  probably  drowned;  Lieutenant  S.  W. 
Putnam,  killed ;  Captains  Dreher,  Schmitt,  Putnam,  Lieuten 
ants  Lowell  and  Holmes,  wounded,  —  not  fatally.  All  other 
officers  safe,  including  myself.  Captains  Dreher  and  Schmitt, 
badly  wounded,  —  probably  not  fatally.  Captain  Putnam's 
right  arm  gone,  —  doing  well.  Lowell  and  Holmes  doing  very 
well." 

This  disastrous  battle  carried  grief  into  many  of  our  Massa 
chusetts  families,  and  depressed  the  buoyant  and  patriotic  spirit 
of  our  people  for  a  time.  Its  effect  upon  the  country  was 
also  unfavorable.  Nothing  had  occurred,  since  the  battle  of 
Bull  Run,  in  July,  which  so  disappointed  the  expectations  and 
saddened  the  hearts  of  loyal  people.  A  distrust  was  felt  of  the 
loyalty  and  military  capacity  of  some  of  the  high  army  officers. 
In  many  quarters,  the  Administration  was  blamed  for  our  ill 
luck,  and  want  of  success.  It  was  at  this  trying  hour  that 
the  Governor  wrote  this  splendid  letter  :  — 

BOSTON,  Oct.  30,  1861. 
HON.  J.  D.  ANDREWS,  Washington,  D.C. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  I  trust  you  will  attribute  my  non-reply  to  your 
letters  before  this  moment  to  the  pressure  of  employment,  and  not  to 
inadvertence  or  neglect. 

I  fear  and  feel  sometimes  in  the  spirit  of  your  own  state  of  mind,  as 
given  in  your  correspondence ;  but  still  I  prefer  not  to  lose  faith  in  any 
one,  much  less  in  those  in  whom  I  have  heartily  confided,  and  to  whom 
belongs  the  wielding  of  the  national  power.  I  see  great  proofs  of  en 
ergy  arid  of  skill.  I  also  see  tokens  of  slowness,  both  of  sight  and  of 
insight.  States  falter,  which  should  be  firm.  Counsels  cross  each  other, 
which  should  combine,  and  bear  up  together. 

O  God !  for  a  Cameronian  battle-cry  ;  for  a  grand,  inspiring,  electric 
shout,  coming  from  the  high  priests  themselves,  from  the  very  Jerusa 
lem  of  our  cause  !  I  wait  to  hear  it,  and  believe  it  will  yet  burst  forth, 
arid  ring  in  all  our  ears.  This  people  must  be  welded  together  with  the 
fire  itself,  both  of  the  spirit  and  the  flesh.  They  must  turn  their 
backs  upon  the  possibility  of  compromise ;  devote  themselves  to  the 
labor  and  pains  of  this  grand  conflict  of  Western  civilization ;  combine 
heartily  in  the  industries,  economies,  and  enterprises  of  public  and  social 
material  life,  and  in  the  devoted  and  daring  efforts  of  war.  Every  drop 
of  blood  shed  by  our  braves  will  be  avenged,  not  by  the  cruelty  of  sav 
age  warriors,  but  by  the  stern  resolve  of  Christians,  patriots,  and  phi- 


CAPTAIN    SCHMITT,    OF    THE    TWENTIETH.  235 

lanthropists,  who  soon  will  understand  the  barbarism  of  our  foes,  and 
will  know  what  price  to  ask  for  the  lives  of  those  who  fall. 

How  many  of  our  noblest  and  bravest  shall  give  their  blood  for  the 
ransom  of  a  subject  race,  the  redemption  of  their  country's  peace,  and 
the  final  security  of  her  honor  and  integrity  ? 

Yours  always,  j.  A.  ANDREW. 

Captain  Schmitt,  who  is  mentioned  as  having  been  wounded, 
was  an  instructor  at  Harvard  College.  We  well  remember  the 
day  he  came  to  the  Adjutant-General's  office,  accompanied  by 
two  young  gentlemen,  —  Mr.  Putnam  and  Mr.  Lowell,  one  of 
whom  was  killed  at  Ball's  Bluff,  and  the  other  wounded,  — 
for  leave  to  raise  a  company  for  the  Twentieth  Regiment. 
Leave  was  granted,  the  company  was  raised,  and  the  three  gen 
tlemen  were  commissioned  officers  of  it.  Putnam  and  Lowell 
were  cousins,  and  belonged  to  distinguished  families.  Lieuten 
ant  Putnam,  we  thought  then,  and  think  now,  was,  in  style, 
manner,  and  features,  a  youth  of  rare  beauty.  The  writer 
little  thought  then,  that,  in  a  few  short  months,  he  would  at 
tend  his  funeral  ceremonies,  which  were  performed  in  the  old 
church  on  Cambridge  Street,  of  which  his  grandfather,  Dr. 
Charles  Lowell,  had  been  the  pastor  for  half  a  century.  But 
the  paths  of  glory  lead  but  to  the  grave.  As  an  evidence  among 
the  thousand  which  might  be  given  of  Governor  Andrew's 
kind  regard  for  the  soldiers  and  their  relatives,  we  copy  the 
following  letter,  written  to  the  father  of  Captain  Schmitt,  while 
the  son  wras  lying  wounded  in  hospital,  near  the  banks  of  the 
Potomac :  — 

Oct.  29,  1861. 
To  Mr.  MICHAEL  SCHMITT,  teacher  at  Versback,  near  Wiirzburg,  Bavaria. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  The  Twentieth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Vol 
unteers,  in  which  your  son  is  a  captain,  formed  part  of  a  detachment  of 
Federal  troopsjwhich,  on  the  21st  inst.,  crossed  the  Potomac,  some 
thirty  miles  above  Washington,  and  had  an  engagement  with  the  enemy. 
The  latter,  being  far  superior  in  numbers,  and  having  a  more  favorable 
position,  compelled  our  troops  to  retreat,  after  they  had  fought  with  a 
bravery  unsurpassed  by  that  of  the  best  troops  of  either  hemisphere. 
Your  son  was  severely,  but  not  mortally,  wounded ;  and  from  one 
of  my  aides-de-camp,  whom  I  have  sent  to  the  spot  to  see  that  no 
duty  or  care  is  neglected  towards  the  wounded  of  our  regiments,  I  re- 


236  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

ceived,  last  Sunday,  a  despatch,  stating  that  your  son,  with  some  of  his 
wounded  fellow-officers,  is  cheerful,  and  doing  well,  and  is  expected  soon 
to  recover. 

While  I  take  occasion  to  communicate  to  you  this  afflicting  informa 
tion,  I,  at  the  same  time,  have  pleasure  in  congratulating  you  upon  the 
bravery  of  your  son,  which  has  enrolled  his  name  upon  the  list  of 
American  heroes. 

I  remain  truly  your  friend,  JOHN  A.  ANDREW, 

Governor  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts. 

Oct.  31. 

The  news  received  concerning  the  condition  of  your  son,  up  to  this 
day,  continues  to  be  equally  favorable  to  his  sure  recovery. 

J.  A.  A. 

Nov.  5.  — The  Governor  writes  to  A.  H.  Bullock,  at  Worces 
ter,  forwarding  to  him  a  check  from  A.  D.  and  J.  G.  Smith  & 
Co.,  Providence,  R.I.,  for  one  hundred  dollars,  payable  to 
his  order ;  fifty  dollars  to  be  expended  for  the  soldiers  of  the 
Fifteenth,  and  fifty  dollars  for  the  soldiers  of  the  Twentieth 
Regiment,  —  the  two  which  had  been  engaged  in  the  battle 
of  Ball's  Bluff. 

Nov.  6.  — The  Governor  writes  to  Surgeon  Galloupe,  of  the 
Seventeenth  Regiment,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  one  of 
Ross  Winans's  pikes,  made  by  him  at  Baltimore  for  the  rebels, 
and  says,  "It  will  find  a  place  among  the  other  souvenirs 
of  the  war  in  Massachusetts.  At  present,  it  finds  a  place  over 
the  portrait  in  the  Council  Chamber  of  Rev.  Mr.  Higginson, 
one  of  the  earliest  clergymen  of  Salem,  whose  ghost  must 
be  astonished  at  the  strange  incongruity."  On  the  same  day, 
he  writes  to  Colonel  Palfrey,  of  the  Twentieth,  "Please  write 
to  me  at  once  the  facts  concerning  the  young  man  now  under 
arrest  for  sleeping  on  his  post,  as  you  understand  them.  I 
believe  that  he  has  always  been  subject  to  turns  of  fainting,  and 
losing  his  consciousness,  when  suffering  from  fatigue,  excite 
ment,  and  exposure.  Please  see  that  he  suffers  no  harm,  until  I 
can  procure  and  forward  the  evidence." 

No  one  in  the  Massachusetts  regiments  was  too  high  or  too 
humble  to  elude  the  vigilance,  the  watchful  care  and  sympa 
thy,  of  Governor  Andrew.  This  was  plainly  visible  throughout 


SCHEME    TO   INVADE    TEXAS.  237 

his  entire  official  life.  On  the  25th  of  November,  he  wrote  to 
the  President  of  the  United  States,  recalling  to  his  mind  an 
interview  he  had  with  him,  when  in  Washington  a  few  weeks 
before,  in  which  he  had  advocated  the  policy  of  an  exchange  of 
prisoners.  No  action  having  been  taken  by  the  Government  on 
the  question,  he  wrote  about  it  to  the  President.  He  was  con 
fident  of  the  justice  and  expediency  of  making  an  exchange  :  it 
would  be  both  convenient  and  humane.  The  letter  concludes, 
"I  earnestly  hope  that  immediate  measures  may  be  taken  to 
effect  exchanges,  and  that  the  hearts  of  the  people  may  not  be 
sickened  by  hope  deferred." 

About  this  time,  a  private  conference  was  held  in  this  city, 
by  some  of  our  most  practical,  experienced,  and  influential 
business  men,  favoring  an  armed  expedition  to  Texas.  The 
Governor  entered  warmly  into  the  scheme,  and,  on  the  27th  of 
November,  wrote  to  Captain  G.  V.  Fox,  Assistant  Secretary 
of  the  Navy,  calling  his  attention  to  the  subject,  and  drawing 
an  outline  of  the  objects  to  be  gained.  A  demonstration  was 
to  be  made  on  the  coast  of  Texas.  The  force,  when  landed, 
was  to  proclaim  martial  law,  and,  when  the  proper  time  ar 
rived,  to  free  all  the  slaves,  "  compensating  loyal  owners  if 
necessary."  The  results  would  be,  first,  we  flank  the  entire 
rebellion  ;  second,  we  open  a  way  for  cotton  ;  third,  we  cut 
off  future  annexations  in  the  interests  of  rebels,  and  demon 
strate  to  foreign  nations  that  this  war  is  to  stop  the  spread  of 
slavery ;  fourth,  it  would  prevent  loyal  men  from  leaving 
Texas,  and  would  encourage  foreign  emigration,  and  would 
demonstrate  that  cotton  can  be  raised  without  slaves ;  finally, 
it  would  "  leave  the  question  of  slavery  in  the  cotton  States 
for  philosophical  treatment,  unless  it  becomes  necessary  to  settle 
it  under  the  war  power  before  the  present  war  is  ended."  The 
letter  concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  These  points  are  urged,  not  in  the  interests  of  abolitionists,  but  by 
leading  commercial  men  and  capitalists,  as  fairly  coming  under  the 
necessities  and  rules  of  war.  Martial  law  proclaimed,  events  will 
no  doubt  educate  the  people  and  the  next  Congress  to  a  wise  solution 
of  all  the  questions  which  may  afterwards  arise  in  connection  with 
slaves  and  slavery,  in  an  exceptional  State  or  dependency  like  Texas. 


238  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

By  such  seizure  and  treatment  of  Texas  as  is  briefly  indicated  above, 
it  is  urged,  that  we  shall  have,  at  the  end  of  the  war,  material  guaran 
ties  that  will  prevent  any  such  compromise  or  settlement  as  to  make 
a  renewal  of  the  struggle  for  ascendency,  or  another  rebellion,  pos 
sible." 

A  copy  of  the  letter  was  sent  to  some  friends  of  the  Gov 
ernor  in  New  York  and  Washington,  including  the  Postmaster- 
General,  Montgomery  Blair,  to  whom  the  Governor  wrote,  "I 
believe  that  the  subject  will  be  of  interest  to  you,  and  that  you 
will  be  pleased  to  say  the  right  word  at  the  proper  time,  in 
furtherance  of  some  such  measure  as  I  have  indicated."  Of  all 
the  Cabinet  officers,  Mr.  Blair  appears  to  have  been  the  one  on 
whose  judgment,  influence,  and  activity  he  relied  the  most  to 
advance  his  views  of  policy  upon  the  Administration. 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Senator  Wilson, 
suggesting  that  Congress  offer  a  bounty  of  twenty-five  dollars 
to  raw  recruits  in  new  regiments,  and  double  that  sum  to 
soldiers  who  will  serve  in  regiments  in  the  field. 

On  the  2d  of  December,  he  acknowledged,  with  thanks, 
the  receipt  of  twenty-seven  hundred  and  eighty-seven  dollars, 
raised  by  voluntary  subscription  among  the  mechanics  employed 
in  the  Charlestown  Navy  Yard.  Commodore  Hudson  and 
Charles  Field  paid  the  money  to  the  Governor.  It  was  to  be 
used  "  for  the  relief  of  poor  and  dependent  families  of  volun 
teers  in  the  military  service  of  the  United  States." 

During  the  month  of  December,  information  reached  the 
Governor,  that  an  order  had  been  issued  by  Brigadier-General 
Stone,  U.S.A.,  in  command  near  Pottsville,  Md.,  giving  a 
description  of  two  fugitive  slaves,  and  directing,  should  they 
appear  in  camp,  that  they  be  arrested  and  returned  to  their 
owners.  On  Sunday  morning,  as  usual,  several  negroes  came 
into  the  camp  of  our  Twentieth  Regiment  to  sell  cakes  and 
fruits  to  the  soldiers.  Among  the  negroes  who  visited  the 

O  O 

camp  were  two  who  answered  the  description  of  the  fugitives 
named  in  General  Stone's  order.  They  were  immediately 
arrested.  "A  file  of  soldiers,  under  a  sergeant,  with  loaded 
muskets,  was  sent  to  escort  them  to  their  supposed  owners,  and 
deliver  them  up."  That  Massachusetts  soldiers  should  be 


CATCHING   FUGITIVE    SLAVES.  239 

employed  to  catch  and  return  fugitive  slaves,  sorely  vexed  the 
Governor,  who  immediately  wrote  to  Lieutenant-Colonel  Palfrey 
against  Massachusetts  men  being  employed  in  such  duty.     He 
also  wrote  a  long  letter  to  Secretary  Cameron,  protesting  against 
the  practice.     He  said,  "I  invoke  your  interposition,  not  only  now, 
but  for  the  future,  for  the  issue  of  such  orders  as  will  secure  the 
soldiers  of  this  Commonwealth  from  being  participators  in  such 
dirty  and  despotic  work."     This  letter  he  enclosed  in  another  to 
Senator  Sumner,  with  a  request  that  he  would  read  it,  and  hand 
it  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  that  he,  Mr.  Sumner,  "  would 
co-operate  with  him  in   his  efforts  to   protect  the   soldiers   of 
Massachusetts  from  being  made  the  bloodhounds  of  slavery  in 
obedience  to  the  iniquitous  and  illegal  orders  of  brigadier-gener 
als,  and  others  in  the  interest  of  the  slave  power."     The  War 
Department  took  no  immediate  action  upon  this  particular  case. 
Mr.  Sumner  brought  it  before  the   Senate,  and  denounced  in 
strong  language  the  order  of  General  Stone,  which  drew  from 
that  officer  a  letter  equally  denunciatory  of  the  Senator,  and  an 
implied  challenge  to  a  duel.     Mr.  Sumner  took  no  notice  of 
either.     But  the  matter  did  not  end  here.     On  the  thirtieth  day 
of  December,  the  Governor  wrote  a  long  letter  to  Major-Gen 
eral    McClellan,  in    reply  to  a  letter  from   Brigadier-General 
Stone,  which  had  been  forwarded  and  apparently  approved  by 
General  McClellan,  in  which  the  order  issued  by  General  Stone, 
directing  the  arrest  of  the  fugitives,  is  defended,  and  an  attempt 
is  made  to  belittle  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  and  in  which  he 
speaks  of  the   "  usurpations  of  these   ambitious  State  author 
ities."     It  also  speaks  of  the  soldiers  of  the  Twentieth  Regi 
ment    being   "  enlisted    in    the    service    of   the   United    States, 
in  the  State   of  which    the   Governor   referred    to    is    the    re 
spected  chief  magistrate  ;   but  this  gives   him  no  right  to   as 
sume  control  of  the  internal  discipline  of  the  regiment."     The 
Governor    gives  the  General  to  understand  that  the  regiment 
was   recruited  in   Massachusetts,  that  the   soldiers  were  Mas 
sachusetts   men,  that  they  were  provided  with  every  kind  of 
equipment,  including  Enfield  rifles,  every  thing  "down  to  shoe 
strings  and  tent-pins,"  all  of  which  was  furnished  by  the  State, 
and  paid  for  by  the  State,  that  the  officers  were  commissioned 


240  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

by  him,  "the  colonel  of  the  regiment  was  Colonel  William 
Raymond  Lee,  an  army  officer,  and  graduate  of  West  Point, 
now  a  prisoner  in  a  felon's  cell  at  Richmond.  I  would  to 
Heaven  he  were  back  now,  or  that  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
were  hammering  at  his  prison-door  with  both  hands,  and  neither 
hand  averted  to  protect  the  institution  which  is  the  cause  of  all 
this  woe."  The  Governor  disclaimed  any  intention  to  "  assume 
control  of  the  interior  discipline  of  the  regiment."  His  purpose 
was  to  prevent  Massachusetts  soldiers  from  being  used,  contrary 
to  law,  to  catch  and  return  fugitive  slaves.  He  was  sorry  "to 
perceive  in  the  conduct  of  Brigadier-General  Stone  a  levity  of 
mind  which  does  not  appreciate  the  responsibility  of  the  grave 
duties  with  which  the  power  of  appointment  charges  the  officer 
in  whom  it  is  vested."  This  appears  to  have  been  the  end  of 
the  correspondence.  General  Stone  was  afterwards  imprisoned 
in  Fort  Lafayette,  by  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  Mr.  Stan- 
ton  ;  but  the  charges  upon  which  the  arrest  was  made  have 
never  been  made  public. 

The  inhuman  treatment  by  the  rebel  authorities  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  officers  and  soldiers  taken  prisoners  at  Ball's  Bluff, 
caused  the  Governor,  on  the  16th  of  December,  to  write  another 
letter  to  the  President,  upon  the  necessity  of  organizing  a  system 
for  the  mutual  exchange  of  prisoners.  A  large  portion  of  the 
prisoners  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels  belonged  to  this  State ;  and 
he  urged  upon  the  President  to  interpose  for  their  immediate 
relief.  He  contrasts  the  cruel  treatment  of  our  men  at  Rich 
mond  with  the  humane  treatment  of  rebel  prisoners  in  Fort 
Warren. 

"  I  am  informed,  from  trustworthy  sources,  that  our  soldiers  who  are 
prisoners  of  war  at  Richmond  are  neither  well  fed  nor  well  clothed, 
and  they  are  subjected  to  the  most  rigid  military  surveillance,  and  occa 
sionally  exposed  to  the  insulting  language  and  demeanor  of  the  popu 
lace  of  that  city.  Some  of  their  number  —  among  whom  I  may  mention 
Colonel  Lee  and  Major  Revere,  of  the  Massachusetts  Twentieth  In 
fantry,  and  Captains  Bowman  and  Rockwood,  of  the  Massachusetts 
Fifteenth  (all  of  them  gentlemen  and  soldiers,  who  have  no  superiors,  in 
any  sphere  of  human  life,  in  all  those  qualities  which  ought  to  command 
respectful  treatment)  —  are  imprisoned  in  felon's  cells,  fed  on  felon's 
fare,  in  a  common  jail  ;  huddled  together  in  a  space  so  narrow  that  there 


TREATMENT    OF    PRISONERS.  241 

is  not  air  enough  for  health  or  comfort ;  allowed,  for  exercise,  to  prom 
enade  half  .an  hour  each  day  on  a  narrow  pathway  surrounding  their 
prison  ;  and  especially  exposed  to  disease,  by  the  fact,  that  some  of  their 
companions,  who  are  grievously  sick,  are  not  removed  to  hospitals,  but 
are  left  to  share  the  same  privations,  and  breathe  the  same  foul  air,  with 
those  whose  physical  vigor  is  not  yet  broken. 

"  In  contrast,  allow  me  to  state,  that  the  prisoners  at  Fort  Warren 
are  allowed  certainly  equal  fare  with  the  garrison,  which  consists  of 
five  companies  of  loyal  Massachusetts  troops,  and  are  permitted  all  lib 
erties  consistent  with  retaining  them  upon  the  island;  and  that  trai 
tors,  like  Mr.  Mason,  of  Virginia,  and  Mr.  Slidell,  of  Louisiana,  whose 
hands  are  red  with  the  best  blood  of  Massachusetts,  are  treated  with 
certainly  equal  consideration  (as  to  quarters,  fare,  and  attendance,  and  all 
privileges  consistent  with  retaining  them  in  custody)  with  the  officers 
of  that  loyal  battalion.  These  facts  and  this  contrast,  sir,  are  sick 
ening  to  many  of  our  people,  and  are  especially  painful  to  those 
who  are  closely  related,  by  friendship  or  blood,  to  our  prisoners  in  the 
hands,  and  at  the  mercy,  of  the  rebels.  I  submit  to  you,  with  the 
utmost  respect,  whether  it  is  just  or  decent,  that  the  contrast  should 
continue.  I  urge  no  inhumanity  towards  even  traitors.  If  we  are  at 
war  with  cannibals,  that  is  no  reason  why  we  should  eat  human  flesh 
ourselves  ;  but  it  is  a  reason  why  we  should  spare  no  effort  to  rescue 
our  brothers  from  the  hands  of  such  savages,  lest  they  become  their 
victims." 

We  now  turn  from  these  unpleasant  subjects  to  others  of  a 
more  agreeable  character,  which  close  the  general  correspond 
ence  of  the  Executive  for  the  year  1861. 

On  the  twenty-sixth  day  of  December,  the  Governor  received 
a  letter  from  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Soldiers'  Relief 
Society  of  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  dated  Nov.  30,  enclosing  a 
draft  for  two  thousand  dollars  upon  Messrs.  Duncan,  Sher 
man,  &  Co.,  New  York,  the  proceeds  of  which  were  to  be 
distributed  "among  the  wives,  the  children,  the  sisters  and 
brothers,  of  the  patriotic  citizen-soldiers  of  Massachusetts." 
In  acknowledgment  of  which,  the  Governor  wrote  a  grateful 
and  patriotic  answer,  which  concludes  by  saying,  that  the 
"Hon.  Francis  B.  Fay,  the  present  Mayor  of  Chelsea,  and 
George  W.  Bond,  Esq.,  an  eminent  merchant  of  this  city, - 
both  gentlemen  of  the  highest  integrity,  large  experience,  and 
humane  sympathies,  —  will  co-operate  with  me  in  the  proper 

16 


242  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

bestowal  of  the  bounty  of  your  association,  in  connection  with 
the  bestowal  of  a  similar  fund  received  for  like  purposes  from 
other  sources."  The  names  of  the  San  Francisco  Executive 
Committee  were  Messrs.  Frank  B.  Austin  &  Co.,  Moses  Ellis, 
James  P.  Hunt,  Aaron  Holmes,  William  V.  Welles,  C.  H.  Sher 
man,  William  B.  Swayne,  and  F.  B.  Folger. 

Another  pleasant  and  gratifying  event,  which  closed  this  re 
markable  year  in  the  history  of  Massachusetts,  was  the  liberal 
and  humane  action  of  the  Legislature  of  Maryland,  which  is 
best  explained  by  publishing  the  correspondence  entire  :  — 

LEGISLATURE  or  MARYLAND,  HOUSE  OF  DELEGATES, 

ANNAPOLIS,  December,  1861. 
His  Excellency  JOHN  A.  ANDREW,  Governor  of  Massachusetts. 

DEAR  SIR,  —  The  Committee  on  Militia  have  instructed  me,  as  their 
chairman,  to  carry  out  an  order  passed  by  the  House,  a  few  days  since, 
and  referred  to  them,  —  to  confer  with  you,  and  learn  the  condition  of 
the  widows  and  orphans,  or  any  dependants  on  those  patriots  who  were 
so  brutally  murdered  in  the  riot  of  the  19th  of  April. 

In  obedience  to  that  order,  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  state,  that 
the  loyal  people  of  Maryland,  and  especially  of  the  city  of  Baltimore, 
after  long  suffering,  are  at  length  able,  through  a  Union  Legislature, 
to  put  themselves  in  a  proper  relation  to  the  Government  and  the 
country. 

In  effecting  the  latter,  they  feel  their  first  duty  is  to  Massachusetts. 
They  are  anxious  to  wipe  out  the  foul  blot  of  the  Baltimore  riot,  as  far 
as  it  can  be  wiped  out,  and  as  soon  as  possible. 

You  will  do  us  a  great  favor,  therefore,  by  instituting  an  immediate 
inquiry  into  the  condition  of  those  who  were  dependent  for  support  upon 
the  services  of  those  unfortunates,  and  by  informing  me,  at  your  ear 
liest  convenience,  of  the  result  of  your  inquiry.  I  should  be  obliged 
to  you,  also,  if  you  would  designate  what,  in  your  opinion,  would  be  the 
best  manner  of  applying  an  appropriation  to  be  made  for  that  pur 
pose. 

Any  suggestions  you  may  make  will  be  kindly  received,  and  meet 
with  proper  consideration. 

With  many  prayers,  which  I  know  I  offer  in  common  with  you,  that 
this  unrighteous  rebellion  may  be  brought  to  a  speedy  close,  I  am 
Your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  F.  L.  FINDLEY. 

This  letter  was  received  by  the   Governor  on  the  twenty- 


PATRIOTIC    ACTION    OF   MARYLAND   LEGISLATURE.         243 

second  day  of  December,  the  anniversary  of  the  landing  of  the 
Pilgrims  at  Plymouth,  which  is  referred  to  in  the  text. 

Dec.  22,  1861. 

To  HON.  JOHN  F.  L.  FINDLEY,  Chairman  of  a  Committee  on  Militia  of  the 
House  of  Delegates  of  the  State  of  Maryland. 

MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  It  is  with  feelings  which  I  will  not  attempt  to 
express  that  I  have  received,  on  this  anniversary  day,  your  letter, 
addressed  to  me  from  Annapolis. 

I  immediately  addressed  the  Mayors  of  the  cities  of  Lowell  and 
Lawrence  on  the  subject  of  your  inquiries,  and  hope  to  be  able  to  trans 
mit  their  answers  at  an  early  day. 

The  past  cannot  be  forgotten ;  but  it  can  be  and  will  be  forgiven ; 
and,  in  the  good  providence  of  God,  I  believe  that  the  day  is  not 
distant,  when  the  blood  that  was  shed  at  Baltimore,  by  those  martyrs 
to  a  cause  as  holy  as  any  for  which  sword  was  ever  drawn,  shall  be 
known  to  have  cemented,  in  an  eternal  union  of  sympathy,  affection, 
and  nationality,  the  sister  States  of  Maryland  and  Massachusetts. 

With  sincere  regard,  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  faithfully  and  respect 
fully,  yours,  JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

By  direction  of  the  Governor,  a  list  of  the  killed  and  wounded 
on  the  19th  of  April  was  prepared,  and  inquiries  made  in  regard 
to  the  families  and  relatives  of  the  men  by  the  Adjutant-General, 
which  information  was  subsequently  transmitted  to  the  Gov 
ernor,  and  by  him  to  Mr.  Findley. 

The  Legislature  of  Maryland  made  an  appropriation  of  seven 
thousand  dollars,  and  transmitted  it  to  the  Governor,  and,  by 
him  and  the  Executive  Council,  it  was  distributed  among  the 
families  of  the  fallen,  and  to  the  wounded  who  survived.  This 
was  a  most  gracious  act,  and  did  much  to  remove  the  bitterness 
and  ill  feeling  entertained  by  the  people  of  the  Commonwealth 
towards  the  city  of  Baltimore  and  the  State  of  Maryland,  for  the 
blood  of  Massachusetts  men,  shed  on  their  soil. 

The  people  in  the  State  were  a  unit  in  support  of  the  war. 
The  officers  and  enlisted  men  of  the  regiments  were  composed 
of  all  parties.  In  the  selection  of  men  to  be  commissioned, 
politics  were  never  regarded.  It  was  the  desire  of  a  large  por 
tion  of  the  Republican  party,  that,  in  the  nomination  of  a  State 
ticket  in  the  election  in  November,  representative  men  of 
both  the  Republican  and  Democratic  parties  should  be  placed 


244  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

upon  it.  The  Republican  Convention  met  at  Worcester,  on  the 
first  day  of  October,  of  which  Hon.  Henry  L.  Dawes  was  chosen 
President.  On  taking  the  chair,  he  made  an  eloquent  speech, 
in  which  he  recommended  that  a  liberal  policy  be  pursued  in 
making  nominations,  and  carrying  on  the  war.  He  paid  a  well- 
deserved  tribute  to  the  Boston  Morning  Post,  the  leading 
Democratic  paper  in  the  New-England  States,  for  its  patriotic 
course  in  sustaining  the  Government,  and  said,  — 

"  It  was  fitting,  therefore,  as  it  was  patriotic,  for  the  organ  of  that 
party  in  this  Commonwealth  to  summon,  as  it  has,  to  this  council  the 
representatives  of  all  her  '  citizens  who  are  in  favor  of  union  for  the 
support  of  the  Government,  and  for  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war 
against  wicked  and  unprovoked  rebellion ;  and  who  are  determined,  in 
good  faith  and  without  reservation,  to  support  the  constituted  authori 
ties  in  all  attempts  to  restore  the  sway  of  the  Constitution  and  laws 
over  every  portion  of  our  country.'  [Applause.]  .  .  .  We  are  here, 
in  the  presence  of  the  public  peril,  ready  to  sink,  more  than  hitherto, 
the  partisan  in  the  patriot:  counting  it  honor,  as  well  as  duty,  to 
lock  arms  with  such  glorious  patriots  as  the  noble  Holt  [applause], 
working  at  the  pumps,  whoever  is  at  the  helm ;  the  bold  and  unflinch 
ing  Johnson  [applause],  nailing  his  flag  to  the  mast ;  and  the  peerless 
Everett  [applause],  sounding  the  clarion-notes  of  his  stirring  eloquence 
along  the  ranks  of  the  army  of  the  Union,  from  the  ocean  to  the  per 
ilous  front  of  the  war,  on  the  dark  and  bloody  ground  of  Kentucky  or 
the  battle-fields  of  Missouri." 

This  speech  was  the  key-note  to  the  convention.  When  Mr. 
Dawes  concluded  his  speech,  John  A.  Andrew  was  nominated 
by  acclamation,  and  without  opposition,  for  re-election.  A  mo 
tion  was  then  made  to  have  a  ballot  for  Lieutenant-Governor. 
Thomas  Russell,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  moved  to  amend  the  motion, 
that  a  committee  of  two  from  each  congressional  district  be 
appointed  to  report  nominations  for  the  other  officers  to  the 
convention.  He  said,  "  We  have  come  here  to  lock  arms  with 
Holt  and  Dickinson  and  Butler  and  Frothingham  and  Greene, 
and  we  have  got  to  do  it  in  some  practical  way."  This  amend 
ment  was  carried,  and  a  committee  appointed,  which  subse 
quently  reported,  for  Lieutenant-Governor,  Edward  Dickin 
son,  of  Amherst ;  for  Secretary  of  State,  Richard  Frothingham, 
of  Charlestown  ;  for  Treasurer,  Henry  K.  Oliver,  of  Salem  ; 


THE    REPUBLICAN    CONVENTION.  245 

for  Auditor,  Levi  Eeed,  of  Abington  ;  and  for  Attorney-Gene 
ral,  Dwight  Foster,  of  Worcester.  Mr.  Dickinson  had  been,  in 
former  years,  a  Whig ;  in  later  years,  he  was  what  was  called  a 
Conservative.  He  never  had  joined  the  Republican  party.  Mr. 
Frothingham  had  always  been  a  Democrat,  of  the  straightest 
sect ;  and  was,  at  this  time,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  Boston  Post. 
Mr.  Oliver,  Mr.  Reed,  and  Mr.  Foster  were  Republicans,  and 
incumbents  of  the  offices  for  which  they  had  been  renominated. 
On  taking  the  vote  upon  the  report  of  the  committee,  Mr. 
Frothingham  failed  of  a  nomination;  the  incumbent  of  the 
office,  Oliver  Warner,  being  the  choice  of  the  convention.  The 
opposition  to  Mr.  Frothingham  was  led  by  Mr.  Moses  Kimball, 
of  Boston,  who  quoted  part  of  an  article  from  the  Boston 
Post,  of  that  morning,  asking  the  convention  "to  drop  such 
extreme  men  as  Governor  Andrew,  and  some  of  his  associates, 
in  the  executive  departments,"  in  making  up  a  new  State  ticket. 
The  authorship  of  the  article  was  attributed  by  Mr.  Kimball  to 
Mr.  Frothingham.  The  effect  on  the  convention  answered  the 
purpose  of  the  gentleman  who  made  use  of  it.  Before  the  vote 
was  taken  upon  the  report,  Richard  H.  Dana,  Jr.,  of  Cambridge, 
replied  to  Mr.  Kimball.  He  said,  "  We  are  engaged  in  a  strug 
gle  which  the  world  has  never  seen  equalled,  either  in  its  im 
portance  or  its  results  ;  we  have  got  beyond  Wilmot  Provisos 
and  Dred  Scott  decisions  ;  we  have  got  to  fight  for  the  exist 
ence  of  the  country.  Let  us  rise  above  all  personal  prejudices, 
and  nominate  a  ticket  as  men  determined  to  serve  the  country ; 
we  are  met  here  to  send  throughout  the  Union,  and  to  the  ene 
mies  of  our  institutions  abroad,  that  the  pattern  Commonwealth 
is  taking  the  lead  in  this  crisis." 

A  motion  was  then  made  by  Mr.  Russell,  of  Boston,  to  sub 
stitute  the  name  of  Hon.  Josiah  G.  Abbott,  of  Lowell,  for 
Attorney-General,  in  place  of  Mr.  Foster's  name.  This  motion 
was  sustained  by  the  mover,  and  by  Mr.  Usher,  of  Medford  ; 
and  opposed  by  Mr.  A.  H.  Bullock,  of  Worcester.  Mr.  Dana, 
of  Cambridge,  said  "  he  could  not  see  his  duty  in  any  other  way 
than  by  placing  a  Democrat  upon  the  ticket.  The  rejection 
of  Mr.  Frothino-ham  involved  a  reconstruction  of  the  ticket." 

Cs 

He  paid  a  high  compliment  to  Mr.  Foster ;  but,  for  public  rea- 


246  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION" . 

sons,  would  vote  for  Mr.  Abbott.  Mr.  Abbott  was  nominated, 
by  a  vote  of  286  to  239.  This  created  much  excitement  and 
ill  feeling  in  the  convention,  which,  however,  was  soon  allayed 
by  Mr.  Foster  himself,  who  arose,  amid  great  applause,  and  said, 
"  it  would  give  him  great  satisfaction  to  have  placed  upon  the 
ticket  any  distinguished  gentleman  of  his  profession,  like  Judge 
Abbott,  of  different  politics  from  himself,  if,  in  the  least  degree, 
the  harmony  of , the  people  of  Massachusetts  can  be  promoted, 
and  if  the  national  Administration  can  be  sustained  in  the  vigor 
ous  prosecution  of  the  war.  He  hoped,  therefore,  his  friends 
would  join  with  him  in  the  hope  that  the  nomination  of  Judge 
Abbott  would  be  made  unanimous."  [Cheers.] 

The  convention  adjourned,  having  placed  on  the  State  ticket 
a  "  Conservative  "  for  Lieutenant-Governor,  and  a  Democrat  for 
Attorney-General.  Subsequently,  both  declined  to  be  candi 
dates  ;  and  their  places  were  filled  with  John  Nesmith,  of 
Lowell,  for  Lieutenant-Governor,  and  D wight  Foster  for  Attor 
ney-General. 

The  marked  feature  of  the  convention,  however,  was  the 
speech  of  Hon.  Charles  Sumner,  which,  at  the  time,  gave  much 
offence  to  the  convention,  and  to  the  Republican  majority  in  the 
State.  The  offence  was  caused  by  his  open  advocacy  of  pro 
claiming  freedom  to  the  slaves,  and  using  colored  men  as  soldiers 
in  the  armies  of  the  Union.  He  said,  — 

"  Look  at  the  war  as  you  will,  and  you  will  always  see  slavery. 
Never  were  the  words  of  the  Roman  orator  more  applicable,  —  Nullum 
f acinus  exstitit  nisi  per  te  ;  nullum  flagitium  sine  te.  '  No  guilt,  unless 
through  thee ;  no  crime  without  thee.'  Slavery  is  its  inspiration,  its 
motive  power,  its  end  and  aim,  its  be-all  and  end-all.  It  is  often  said, 
the  war  will  make  an  end  of  slavery.  This  is  probable  ;  but  it  is  surer 
still,  that  the  overthrow  of  slavery  will  at  once  make  an  end  of  the 


"  If  I  am  correct  in  this  statement,  which  I  believe  is  beyond  ques 
tion,  then  do  justice,  reason,  and  policy  all  unite  that  the  war  must  be 
brought  to  bear  directly  on  the  grand  conspirator  and  omnipresent 
enemy,  which  is  slavery.  Not  to  do  this  is  to  take  upon  ourselves,  in 
the  present  contest,  all  the  weakness  of  slavery,  while  we  leave  to  the 
rebels  its  boasted  resources  of  military  strength.  Not  to  do  this  is  to 
"squander  life  and  treasure  on  a  vain  masquerade  of  battle,  which  can 


THE    SLAVERY    QUESTION.  247 

reach  no  practical  result.  Believe  me,  fellow-citizens,  I  know  all  the 
imagined  difficulties  and  unquestioned  responsibilities  of  the  suggestion. 
But,  if  you  are  in  earnest,  the  difficulties  will  at  once  disappear,  and  the 
responsibilities  are  such  as  you  will  gladly  bear.  This  is  not  the  first 
time  that  a  knot  hard  to  untie  has  been  cut  by  the  sword,  arid  we  all 
know  that  danger  flies  before  the  brave  man.  Believe  that  you  can, 
and  you  can.  The  will  only  is  needed.  Courage  now  is  the  highest 
prudence.  It  is  not  necessary  even,  according  to  a  familiar  phrase,  to 
carry  the  war  into  Africa  :  it  will  be  enough  if  we  carry  Africa  into  the 
war,  in  any  form,  any  quantity,  any  way.  The  moment  this  is  done, 
rebellion  will  begin  its  bad  luck,  and  the  Union  will  be  secure  for 


The  speech  further  elaborated  these  points.  The  resolutions 
which  were  reported  to  the  convention  made  no  mention,  even 
remotely,  of  slavery,  either  as  the  cause  of  the  war,  or  of  its 
overthrow  as  a  means  of  ending  it.  The  only  idea  advanced  in 
them  was,  that  the  purpose  we  had  was  to  "  put  down  armed 
rebellion,"  that  "  no  rights  secured  by  the  Constitution  to  loyal 
citizens  or  States  of  the  Union  in  any  section  ought  to  be  in 
fringed,  and  that  rebels  in  arms  against  the  Government  can 
have  no  rights  inconsistent  with  those  of  loyal  citizens,  which 
that  Government  is  bound  to  respect."  The  whole  tenor  and 
purpose  of  the  resolutions  were  to  ignore  the  question  of  slavery, 
and  to  bring  about  a  political  union  of  men  of  all  parties  in  the 
State.  Such  being  the  views  of  the  convention,  the  speech  of 
Mr.  Sumner  was  regarded  with  disfavor.  Rev.  James  Freeman 
Clarke,  a  delegate  from  Boston,  offered  two  resolutions,  which 
had  a  bearing  towards  sustaining  the  position  taken  by  Mr. 
Sumner ;  but  they  failed  to  receive  the  approval  of  the  conven 
tion.  The  first  expressed  confidence  "in  the  wisdom  of  the 
national  Administration,"  and  that  Massachusetts  was  ready  to 
give  of  its  blood  and  treasure  to  answer  its  calls  ;  "  yet,  believing 
that  slavery  is  the  root  and  cause  of  this  Rebellion,  they  will 
rejoice  when  the  time  shall  come,  in  the  wisdom  of  the  Govern 
ment,  to  remove  this  radical  source  of  our  present  evils."  Ihe 
second  declared,  that,  "when  the  proper  time  shall  arrive,  the 
people  of  Massachusetts  will  welcome  any  act,  under  the  war 
power  of  the  commander-in-chief,  which  shall  declare  all  the 


248  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

slaves  within  the  lines  of  our  armies  to  be  free,  and  accept 
their  services  in  defence  of  the  Union,  compensating  all  loyal 
owners  for  slaves  thus  emancipated,  and  thus  carrying  liberty 
for  all  human  beings  wherever  the  stars  and  stripes  shall 
float." 

It  is  plain,  that  the  Republican  party  of  Massachusetts  at  this 
time,  so  far  as  its  opinions  were  foreshadowed  by  the  conven 
tion,  did  not  favor  the  abolition  of  or  interference  with  slavery. 
When  charged  with  favoring  such  doctrines  by  the  press  of 
the  opposition,  the  Boston  Daily  Advertiser  of  Oct.  4,  three 
days  after  the  convention  was  held,  utterly  disclaimed  them. 
In  its  leading  editorial  it  said,  — 

"  The  convention  certainly  disavowed  any  intention  of  indorsing 
the  fatal  doctrines  announced  by  Mr.  Sumner,  with  a  distinctness  that 
can  be  hardly  flattering  to  that  gentleman's  conception  of  his  own 
influence  in  Massachusetts.  The  resolutions  offered  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Clarke,  as  a  crucial  test  of  the  readiness  of  the  convention  to  adopt 
open  abolitionism  as  its  creed,  went  to  the  table,  and  were  buried,  never 
to  rise." 

Further  on,  it  says,  — 

"  It  may  not  appear  so  to  Mr.  Sumner  and  his  supporters,  and  it 
may  be  forgotten  by  some  who  oppose  him ;  but  we  hold  it  for  an 
incontestable  truth,  that  neither  men  nor  money  will  be  forthcoming 
for  this  war,  if  once  the  people  are  impressed  with  the  belief,  that  the 
abolition  of  slavery,  and  not  the  defence  of  the  Union,  is  its  object,  or 
that  its  original  purpose  is  converted  into  a  cloak  for  some  new  design 
of  seizing  this  opportunity  for  the  destruction  of  the  social  system  of 
the  South.  The  people  are  heart  and  soul  with  their  Government  in 
support  of  any  constitutional  undertaking.  We  do  not  believe  that 
they  will  follow  it,  if  they  are  made  to  suspect  that  they  are  being 
decoyed  into  the  support  of  any  unconstitutional  and  revolutionary 
designs." 

It  would  be  easy  to  add  similar  extracts  from  the  Republican 
papers  in  the  Commonwealth  ;  but  they  would  only  add  weight 
to  an  accepted  truth.  At  this  time,  the  importance  of  saving 
the  border  slave  States  from  being  engulfed  in  the  current  of 
rebellion  was  immediate  and  paramount.  The  Union  men 
of  those  States  excited  our  sympathy  and  admiration.  They 


DEMOCRATIC    CONVENTION.  249 

had  bearded  the  lion  of  Rebellion  in  its  den.  They  knew  its 
strong  and  weak  points.  They  asked  Massachusetts  and  other 
anti-slavery  States  to  take  no  aggressive  stand  against  slavery, 
as  it  would  weaken  them,  and  strengthen  the  enemy.  Massa 
chusetts  was  one  of  many  States  battling  for  the  nation  :  it  was 
not  therefore  deemed  wise  for  her  alone  to  attempt  to  change  the 
issue  from  a  war  to  preserve  the  Constitution  and  the  Union,  into 
one  for  the  abolition  of  slavery.  The  calm  judgment  of  the 
people  accepted  this  argument ;  and  hence  they  could  not  affirm 
the  policy  advanced  by  Mr.  Sumner,  because  they  did  not  believe 
it  wise  then  to  adopt  it.  The  time  might  come,  they  argued, 
when  it  would  be  the  highest  wisdom  to  take  such  a  stand ;  and 
that  time  came,  and  the  nation  was  saved. 

The  Democratic  convention  was  held  in  Worcester,  Sept. 
18,  and  nominated  Isaac  Davis,  of  Worcester,  for  Governor; 
Edwin  C.  Bailey,  of  Boston,  Lieutenant-Governor;  Charles 
Thompson,  of  Charlestown,  Secretary  of  State ;  Moses  Bates, 
of  Plymouth,  Treasurer;  and  Edward  Avery,  of  Braintree, 
Attorney-General.  These  gentlemen  were  war  Democrats. 

Moses  Bates  was  elected  president  of  the  convention,  and,  on 
taking  the  chair,  made  a  long  speech,  which,  so  far  as  it  related  to 
the  great  national  issue,  was  decided  in  favor  of  a  vigorous  pros 
ecution  of  the  war.      Speeches  were  made  by  Oliver  Stevens,  of 
Boston  ;  E.  A.  Alger,  of  Lowell ;  and  Edwin  C.  Bailey,  of  Bos 
ton,  —  all  of  whom  condemned  the  Rebellion,  and  favored  "  con 
quering  a  peace."    The  resolutions  reported  by  A.  R.  Brown,  of 
Lowell,  and  adopted  by  the  convention,  were  of  the  same  stamp. 
It  appears  clear,  therefore,  that  upon  this  great  and  vital  ques 
tion,  which  filled  all  minds,  and  overtopped  all  other  issues,  the 
two  great  political  parties  were  a  unit ;   and  but  for  the  habit  of 
making   separate  nominations,  and   of  rallying  under  different 
party  names,  a  union  would  have  been  made,  and  the  ticket, 
with  John  A.    Andrew's  name  at  the  head,  would  have  been 
elected  by  a  vote  approaching  unanimity.     A  union  of  this  sort 
was  not  required  to  insure  the  election  of  the  Republican  candi 
dates.     They  were  certain  to  be  elected  by  majorities  of  thou 
sands.     Every  one  knew  that.     Therefore  no  political  advantage 
could  be  gained  by  them  in  receiving  Democratic  support.     The 


250  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

advantage  would  have  been  moral,  not  political ;  of  effect  abroad, 
not  here.  It  would  have  shown,  that  in  Massachusetts  at  least, 
among  her  people  at  home  as  in  her  regiments  in  the  field, 
there  was  but  one  party,  one  thought,  one  impulse,  while  the 
Union  was  imperilled,  and  armed  Rebellion  reared  its  hated 
crest. 

The  annual  election  was  held  on  Tuesday,  Nov.  5.  The 
aggregate  vote  was  comparatively  small,  owing  chiefly  to  the 
large  number  of  men  absent  from  the  State  in  the  army  and 
navy.  Governor  Andrew  received  65, 261  votes;  Isaac  Davis, 
31,264;  scattering,  796;  majority  for  Andrew,  33,201.  The 
Legislature  was  unanimous  for  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war. 
The  position  of  Massachusetts  was  thus  clearly  defined,  and  ad 
mitted  of  no  doubt.  The  course  taken  by  the  Governor  and 
the  Legislature  to  sustain  the  Union  and  the  Government,  re 
ceived  the  approving  voice  of  the  Commonwealth. 

It  is  hardly  possible  even  to  name  the  vast  number  of  letters 
received  and  answered  by  the  Governor,  the  Adjutant-General, 
the  Surgeon-General,  and  other  department  officers,  during  the 
years  of  this  Rebellion  :  they  fill  more  than  three  hundred  vol 
umes,  Many  of  the  letters  received  from  officers  contain  matters 
of  great  interest,  especially  those  received  immediately  after  the 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  in  July,  and  of  Ball's  Bluff,  in  October. 
Among  these  is  a  letter  written  by  Dr.  Luther  V.  Bell,  surgeon 
of  the  Eleventh  Regiment,  to  Surgeon-General  Dale,  which  gives 
a  graphic  description  of  the  advance  of  the  army  to  Bull  Run ; 
his  services  to  the  wounded  assisted  by  Dr.  Josiah  Carter  and 
Dr.  Foye.  Dr.  Bell  improvised  a  hospital  in  a  small  stone 
church  near  the  battle-field,  in  which  seventy-five  wounded  men 
were  brought,  before  the  rout  of  the  Union  army  brought 
the  church  within  the  rebel  lines,  and  forced  a  retreat.  The 
Massachusetts  regiments  engaged  in  this  battle  were  the  First, 
Colonel  Cowdin,  the  Eleventh,  Colonel  Clark,  three  years'  volun 
teers  ;  and  the  Fifth,  Colonel  Lawrence,  three  months'  regiment. 
The  reports  of  these  officers,  and  the  testimony  of  others,  show 
that  the  regiments  behaved  with  great  bravery,  and  that  no  part 
of  the  defeat  can  properly  be  attributed  to  them.  We  could  fill 
many  pages  with  extracts  from  these  reports ;  but  they  would 


THANKSGIVING   IN    THE    AEMY.  251 

present  no  facts  of  special  interest,  which  have  not  already  been 
made  public. 

None  of  the  officers  of  our  regiments  wrote  with  more  ease 
and  elegance  than  Major  Wilder  Dwight,  of  the  Second  Regi 
ment.  In  one  of  his  letters  to  the  Governor,  written  in  July, 
at  Harper's  Ferry,  where  the  Second  was  encamped  to  protect 
the  Ferry  and  hold  the  town,  he  says,  — 

"  It  is  perhaps  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  guard-house  occupied  by 
the  town -guard  is  the  engine-house  which  John  Brown  held  so  long, 
and  which  is  one  of  the  few  buildings  left  standing  amid  the  general 
ruins  of  the  Government  property.  Directly  opposite  to  it,  from  the 
flag-staff,  which  lately  bore  the  secession  flag,  our  own  banner  now 
floats.  Several  unavailing  attempts  were  made-  to  raise  it,  when 
Sergeant  Hill,  of  Company  B,  volunteered  to  climb  the  tall  pole,  and 
adjust  the  halyards.  This  he  did  amid  the  wildest  enthusiasm  of  the 
people.  There  has  been  a  reign  of  terror  here  ;  and  to-day,  for  the  first 
time,  Union  men  dare  to  show  themselves,  and  return  to  their  homes. 
The  protection  of  the  flag  is  indicated  everywhere,  and  many  Virginian 
men  and  women  have  said  with  quivering  lip  they  were  glad  to  see  the 
old  flag  again.  Throughout  our  march,  in  every  village,  and  by  almost 
every  house,  we  have  made  the  hills  echo  again  our  national  airs." 

In  the  Governor's  proclamation  for  Thanksgiving,  this  year, 
it  may  well  be  supposed  the  soldiers  in  the  field  were  not  for 
gotten.  It  was  read  in  every  Massachusetts  camp,  and  the  day 
was  celebrated  by  the  regiments  with  great  spirit  and  cheerful 
ness.  Major  Dwight  writes,  "  I  had  the  honor  and  pleasure 
to  receive  the  Governor's  proclamation  for  Thanksgiving.  I 
give  a  short  record  of  the  day's  celebration.  Military  duty  was, 
by  authority  of  General  Banks,  suspended.  At  ten,  A.M.,  we 
had  the  proclamation  read,  and  religious  service  by  the  chap 
lain.  The  men  afterwards  sat  down  to  dinner,  which  may  be 
summed  up  as  follows:  turkeys  95,  weight  997J  pounds; 
geese  76,  weight  666  pounds;  chickens  73,  weight  165 
pounds;  plum-puddings  95,  weight  1,179  pounds.  If  you 
state  the  weight  in  tons,  the  whole  dinner  amounts  to  one  and 
a  half,  in  round  numbers.  The  men  had  games  and  dancing 
in  the  evening.  It  should  perhaps  be  added,  that  they  are  in 
fine  health  this  morning." 


252  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

This  gallant  and  accomplished  officer  was  a  graduate  of  Har 
vard  College,  in  the  class  of  1853.  He  was  promoted  lieu 
tenant-colonel  of  the  Second,  June  13,  1862,  and  was  mortally 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  Antietam,  and  died  two  days  after, 
Sept.  19,  1862.  His  body  was  brought  home  to  his  father's 
house  in  Brookline,  and  was  buried  from  St.  Paul's  Church,  in 
that  town.  The  Forty-fourth  Eegiment,  Colonel  Frank  Lee, 
then  in  camp  at  Keadville,  volunteered  as  military  escort.  The 
Governor  and  staff  were  present  at  the  funeral,  and  the  people 
of  the  village  followed,  with  the  mourning  relatives,  his  body 
to  the  grave,  where  it  rests  quietly  from  the  noise  of  civil  life 
and  the  conflict  of  battle. 

We  turn  from  these  grand  but  solemn  memories  to  the  con 
troversy  between  the  Governor  and  Major-General  Butler, 
which  stands  in  Massachusetts'  great  record  of  the  war  as  the 
only  event  in  which  the  fulfilment  of  official  duty  grew  into  a 
protracted  personal  controversy. 

The  correspondence  would  make  nearly  one  hundred  pages 
of  this  volume.  The  causes  which  led  to  it  we  shall  state  as 
briefly  as  we  can.  Massachusetts  had  forwarded  to  the  front 
sixteen  regiments  of  infantry  to  serve  for  three  years ;  and  in 
August,  1861,  was  recruiting,  in  the  various  camps  in  the 
Commonwealth,  six  additional  regiments  of  infantry,  one 
regiment  of  cavalry,  four  companies  of  light  artillery,  and 
one  company  of  sharpshooters.  Two  other  regiments,  to  be 
composed  of  Irishmen,  were  also  soon  to  be  recruited.  It  was 
the  intention  of  the  Governor  to  have  these  regiments  and 
batteries  recruited  to  the  maximum  as  speedily  as  possible ; 
and,  until  they  were  filled,  no  recruiting,  except  for  them 
and  for  regiments  already  in  the  field,  would  be  permitted  in 
the  Commonwealth.  Some  of  these  regiments  had  been  prom 
ised  and  designated  as  part  of  an  expeditionary  corps,  to 
be  commanded  by  Brigadier-General  Thomas  W.  Sherman, 
U.S.A. 

General  Sherman  arrived  in  Boston  about  the  first  of  Sep 
tember,  bringing  with  him  a  letter  to  Governor  Andrew  from 
Hon.  Simon  Cameron,  Secretary  of  War,  dated  Washington, 
Aug.  27,  in  which  he  renews  a  previous  request,  that  "you," 


GOVERNOR   ANDREW   AND    GENERAL   BUTLER.  253 


can 


the  Governor,  "will  put  three  regiments,  as  soon  as  they 
be  prepared  for  service,  under  the  orders  of  General  Sherman, 
who  will  indicate  the  place  of  rendezvous."     The  place  of  ren 
dezvous    was   somewhere  in  Long  Island,  N.Y.     On  the  next 
day  after  this  letter  was  written,  —  namely,   on    the  28th  of 
August,  -  -"  Colonel "  David  K.  Wardwell,  who  had  commanded 
a  company  in  the  Fifth  Eegiment,  three  months  militia,  received 
authority  from  Secretary  Cameron  to  raise  a  regiment  of  volun 
teers  in  this  State.     He  was  instructed  "  to  report  to  His  Ex 
cellency  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  from  whom  you  will 
receive   instructions  and   orders   in   reference   to  the  regiment 
which  this  department  has  authorized  you  to  raise."     Governor 
Andrew  was  very  justly  opposed  to  having  these  special  per 
missions  given  to  favored  parties  to  recruit  regiments  in  this 
Commonwealth,  without  his  knowledge  or  consent.     It  inter 
fered  with  previous  arrangements,  delayed  the   completion  of 
regiments  already  partly  recruited,  detracted  from  the  authority 
of  the  Governor,  and  violated  the  act  of  Congress  under  which 
volunteer  regiments  were  authorized  to  be  raised,  which  pro 
vided,  section  fourth,  "That  the  Governors  of  the  States,  furnish 
ing  volunteers  under  this  act,  shall  commission  the  field,  staff, 
and   company    officers,   requisite   for   said   volunteers  ;    and   in 
cases   where   the    State    authorities    refuse   or   omit  to   furnish 
volunteers  at  the  call,  or  on  the  proclamation,  of  the  President, 
and  volunteers  from  such  States  offer  their  services  under  such 
call  or  proclamation,  the  President  shall  have  power  to  accept 
such   services,  and  to   commission  the   proper  field,  staff,  and 
company  officers."     It  is  clear  from  this,   that  the  recruiting 
of  regiments,  and   the   commissioning  of  officers,  in  the  loyal 
States,  was  intended  to  be  under  the  exclusive  control  of  the 
Governors  of  those   States.      Neither  the  President,  nor   the 
Secretary  of  War,  nor  any  State   or  Federal   officer,  civil  or 
military,  had  any  right  either  to  authorize  persons  to  recruit  or 
to  commission  officers  of  volunteers,  in  States  which  had  loyal 
Governors,  who  were  ready  and  anxious  to  do  whatever  was 
demanded  of  them  by  the  President  and  the  laws  of  Congress. 
It  was  only  in   States   having  disloyal  Governors,  who  would 
refuse   to   organize  regiments  and  commission  officers   for  the 


254  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLIOX. 

Union  service,  that  the  President  could  act.  Massachusetts  was 
not  a  disloyal  State,  and  John  A.  Andrew  was  not  a  disloyal 
Governor. 

Captain  Wardwell's  authority  to  raise  a  regiment  in  Massa 
chusetts  was  not  recognized  by  the  Governor.  He  was  granted 
permission  to  raise  a  company  for  the  Twenty-second  Regiment, 
and  he  was  afterwards  commissioned  captain  in  that  regiment. 
Having  protested  to  the  authorities  in  Washington  against  this 
pernicious  and  illegal  system  of  granting  special  permits  to  raise 
regiments  in  this  State,  on  the  28th  of  August  —  the  very  day 
on  which  Wardwell  had  been  given  authority  to  recruit  a  regi 
ment, —  the  Governor  received  a  telegram  from  the  Secretary 
of  War,  that  "  he  would  not  sanction  for  the  future  any  such 
irregularities ; "  and  Quartermaster-General  John  H.  Reed, 
who  was  then  in  Washington,  was  requested  by  Governor 
Andrew  to  call  upon  Mr.  Cameron,  and  to  "  express  the  pleas 
ure"  which  the  information  had  given  him.  Innumerable 
difficulties  had  arisen  in  New  York  from  similar  practices,  which 
led  to  the  issuing  by  the  War  Department  of  General  Order 
No.  71,  which  directed  "all  persons  having  received  authority  to 
raise  volunteer  regiments,  batteries,  or  companies  in  the  State 
of  New  York  to  report  immediately  to  Governor  Morgan." 
They  and  their  commands  were  placed  under  his  orders,  who 
would  organize  them  "  in  the  manner  he  might  judge  the  most 
advantageous."  In  a  letter  dated  Washington,  Sept.  6,  written 
jointly  by  General  John  H.  Reed  and  Colonel  A.  G.  Browne, 
Jr.,  to  Governor  Andrew,  they  state  that  they  had  held  inter 
views  with  the  President  and  the  Secretary  of  War  the  day 
before ;  and  both  had  promised  that  no  more  special  permits 
should  be  given,  and  that  General  Order  No.  71  should  be  made 
to  apply  to  Massachusetts  the  same  as  to  New  York.  These 
preliminary  details  are  necessary  in  order  to  have  a  correct 
understanding  of  the  controversy  which  grew  up  between  the 
Governor  and  General  Butler. 

On  the  seventh  of  September,  the  Governor  received  a  tele 
gram  from  President  Lincoln,  urging  him  to  forward  troops  as 
speedily  as  possible  to  General  Sherman's  headquarters ;  to 
which  he  replied  on  the  same  day,  "I  have  written  General 


CONTROVERSY   WITH    GENERAL   BUTLER.  255 

Sherman  about  it  during  the  past  week.  We  are  raising  five 
new  regiments,  all  of  which  I  mean  Sherman  shall  have  if 
you  will  get  an  order  from  the  War  Department  to  send  them 
to  him:'  This  letter  was  returned  to  the  Governor  with  the 
following  indorsements  :  "  Respectfully  submitted  to  the  War  De 
partment.  A.  Lincoln."-  "  Let  this  be  done.  Simon  Cameron, 
Secretary  of  War."-  "  I  send  you  the  order  you  desire.  William 
H.  Seward."  On  the  9th  of  September,  General  Sherman 
writes  from  New  York  to  the  Governor,  "The  public  interest 
requires  that  the  remaining  troops  for  this  expedition  assemble 
here  at  the  very  earliest  day  practicable."  To  which  the  Gov 
ernor  answered  on  the  eleventh,  "  The  new  regiments  are  going 
forward  towards  completion  very  rapidly.  General  Wilson  has 
about  nine  hundred  men  in  camp  to-day."  The  other  regiments 
were  rapidly  filling  up  ;  two  would  be  completed  by  the  twen 
tieth,  "and  three  more  in  a  good  state  of  forwardness  by  that 
time." 

So  matters  stood  on  the  llth  of  September.     The  Governor, 
every  one  connected  officially  with  him,  the  city  and  town  author 
ities,  were  actively  at  work,  and  lending  all  their  energies  to 
complete  these  regiments  for  General  Sherman.     It  was  a  great 
surprise,  then,  that,  after  the  promises  made  by  the  authorities  at 
Washington,  and  the  urgent  necessity  which  existed  of  complet 
ing  the  organization  of  these  regiments,  the  Secretary  of  War 
should,  on  the  tenth  of  this  very  month,  give  authority  to  Major- 
General  Butler  to  raise  six  new  regiments    in  New  England, 
and  to  arm,  uniform,  and  equip  them.     The  first  intelligence 
Governor  Andrew  had  that  such  authority  had  been  given,  was 
by  a  telegram  dated  Washington,  Sept.  11,  and  jointly  signed, 
"A.  Lincoln,  President"  and  "Simon  Cameron,  Secretary  of 
War,"  stating  that  "  General  Butler  proposes  raising  in  New 
England  six  regiments,  to  be  recruited  and  commanded  by  him 
self,  and  to  go  on  special  service  :  we  shall  be  glad  if  you,  as 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,  will  answer  by  telegraph  that  you 
consent."     On  receipt  of  this  despatch,  the  Governor  immedi 
ately  answered,  "Authorize  State  to  raise  whatever  regiments 
you  wish   additional.     We  will  first    fulfil    engagements   with 
General    Sherman,    ordered    by   Secretary   of  War;  then    add 


256  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

others  fast  as  possible ;  will  help  General  Butler  to  the  utmost." 
On  the  12th  (next  day),  Mr.  Cameron  telegraphed  to  the  Gov 
ernor,  "Despatch  of  yesterday  received.  Massachusetts  has 
done  so  well  in  all  she  has  promised,  that  she  shall  not  be  dis 
appointed  in  any  thing  she  requires  from  the  General  Govern 
ment."  This  was  complimentary,  but  it  was  not  an  answer. 
A  few  hours  before  the  Governor  received  this  despatch  from 
Mr.  Cameron,  he  received  the  following,  dated  New  York, 
Sept.  11,  from  General  Sherman:  "The  object  of  my  tele 
gram  of  the  10th  was  to  ascertain  if  there  existed  any  possibil 
ity  of  being  disappointed  in  the  time  when  the  troops  would 
be  prepared"  Thus  when  General  Sherman  was  anxiously 
waiting  in  New  York  for  the  five  regiments  authorized  to  be 
raised  for  him  in  Massachusetts,  and  when  every  possible  effort 
was  being  made  to  complete  them,  the  Secretary  of  War  wrote 
the  following  paper.  We  do  not  know  what  to  call  it :  it  is  not  a 
letter,  because  it  is  addressed  to  no  one  ;  it  is  not  an  order,  be 
cause  it  is  not  so  designated,  and  bears  no  number. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  Sept.  12,  1861. 

Major-General  Butler  is  authorized  to  fit  out  and  prepare  such 
troops  in  New  England  as  he  may  judge  fit  for  the  purpose,  to  make 
an  expedition  along  the  eastern  shore  of  Virginia,  via  the  railroad 
from  Wilmington,  Del.,  to  Salisbury,  and  thence  through  a  por 
tion  of  Maryland,  Accomac,  and  Northampton  Counties  of  Virginia,  to 
Cape  Charles.  SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 

This  document,  in  effect,  gave  General  Butler  authority  over 
every  new  regiment  raised,  or  to  be  raised,  in  New  England. 
He  was  to  have  as  many  troops  as  he  might  "judge  fit"  for  his 
purpose  ;  and  what  that  purpose  was  no  one  except  himself  and 
Mr.  Cameron  knew.  The  document  wholly  ignored  the  Gov 
ernors  of  the  New-England  States,  the  act  of  Congress  already 
quoted,  and,  so  far  as  this  State  was  interested,  the  promise  made 
to  General  Sherman  that  he  should  have  three  of  the  Massachu 
setts  regiments  then  in  course  of  formation.  This  was  not  all  — 
indeed,  it  was  only  a  small  part  —  of  the  complicated,  contradic 
tory,  and  painfully  embarrassing  position  under  which  this  new 
state  of  things  placed  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts.  He  had 


CONTROVERSY   WITH    GENERAL    BUTLER.  257 

been  ordered  to  furnish  five  new  regiments  for  General  Sherman, 
he  had  promised  the  General  he  should  have  them,  he  had 
nearly  completed  a  part  of  them,  when,  without  consultation  or 
previous  knowledge,  this  paper,  prepared  in  the  War  Office  at 
Washington,  and  signed  by  the  Secretary,  was  issued,  placing 
all  the  troops  in  New  England  under  the  command  of  Major- 
General  Butler,  and  as  many  more  as  he  might  "judge  fit" 
for  his  purpose.  Four  days  after  Mr.  Cameron  had  written 
the  paper  just  quoted,  Special  Order  No.  78  was  issued  from  the 
War  Department. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

WASHINGTON,  Sept.  16,  1861. 

All  persons  having  received  authority  from  the  War  Department  to 
raise  volunteer  regiments,  batteries,  or  companies,  in  the  loyal  States, 
are,  with  their  commands,  hereby  placed  under  the  orders  of  the  Gov 
ernors  of  those  States,  to  whom  they  will  immediately  report  the  pres 
ent  condition  of  their  respective  organizations.  These  troops  will  be 
organized  or  re-organized,  and  prepared  for  service,  by  the  Governors  of 
their  respective  States,  in  the  manner  they  may  judge  most  advantageous 
to  the  interests  of  the  Federal  Government. 

By  order,  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant- General. 

This  order  was  easy  of  comprehension,  and  in  strict  accord 
ance  with  the  acts  of  Congress  ;  but  it  was  in  direct  conflict 
with  the  paper  signed  by  Mr.  Cameron  four  days  before.  Upon 
its  receipt,  Governor  Andrew  directed  the  Adjutant-General 
of  the  Commonwealth  to  issue  General  Order  No.  23,  which 
enumerated  the  regiments  and  batteries  then  being  recruited  in 
the  State,  and  the  camps  at  which  they  were  stationed.  It  also 
said,  that  "  until  they  were  filled,  no  recruiting,  except  for 
these  regiments  and  batteries,  is  authorized,  or  can  be  en 
couraged,  by  the  Commander-in-chief."  After  quoting  the 
preceding  order  of  the  War  Department,  signed  by  General 
Thomas,  it  proceeds  to  say,  "  The  Commander-in-chief  directs 
that  no  new  regiments  or  companies  be  formed,  or  ordered 
into  camp,  nor  any  already  in  camp  change  their  location,  with 
out  orders  from  these  headquarters." 

Although  the  order  restricted  recruiting  for  new  regiments 
except  those  designated,  it  allowed  and  encouraged  recruiting  for 

17 


258  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

regiments  already  in  the  field.  It  also  gave  notice  that  two  new 
regiments,  to  be  composed  of  men  of  Irish  birth,  were  soon  to 
be  placed  in  camp,  one  of  which,  the  Twenty-eighth,  "to  form 
a  part  of  the  command  of  Major-General  Butler,  whose  head 
quarters  is  at  Lowell." 

On  the  23d  of  September,  Mr.  Cameron  telegraphed  to  the 
Governor,  "Will  the  three  regiments  for  General  Sherman  be 
ready  this  week?  He  must  be  supplied  in  advance  of  all  other 
applications  for  same  service.  Please  reply  immediately."  To 
which  the  Governor  answered  the  same  day,  and  requested  the 
Secretary  not  to  issue  an  order  detailing  particular  regiments  to 
General  Butler,  but  to  leave  all  such  details  to  him  :  he  could 
provide  for  him  otherwise  and  sufficiently.  To  which  Mr. 
Cameron  answered,  "  Select  the  regiments  yourself  for  Sherman, 
and  supply  him  first."  Same  day,  Colonel  Browne,  military 
secretary  to  the  Governor,  by  order  of  His  Excellency,  addressed 
a  note  to  General  Butler,  in  which  he  proposed  to  assign  to 
his  command  an  Irish  regiment,  in  the  raising  of  which  Patrick 
Donahoe,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  took  much  interest.  This  was 
afterwards  known  as  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment.  The  receipt 
of  this  letter  was  acknowledged  by  Major  Haggerty,  of  General 
Butler's  staff,  on  the  24th,  and  information  given  that  Gen 
eral  Butler  had  gone  to  Portland,  Me.,  and  that  his  attention 
would  be  called  to  it  as  soon  as  he  returned,  which  would  be 
"to-morrow  evening." 

A  letter  was  sent  to  General  Sherman  on  the  23d  by  the 
Governor,  requesting  him  to  exert  his  personal  efforts  to  secure 
for  his  command  the  regiments  promised  him,  and  prevent  them 
from  "being  diverted  to  General  Butler  or  any  other  officer." 
The  regiments  designed  for  him  were  the  Twenty-second  and 
Twenty-third,  in  camp  at  Lynnfield,  and  known  as  General 
Wilson's,  and  the  Twenty-fifth,  encamped  at  Worcester.  The 
letter  further  stated  that  the  Governor  proposed  "  to  assign  to 
General  Butler  the  Twenty-sixth  Regiment,  being  raised  by 
Colonel  Jones  at  Lowell,"  and  an  Irish  regiment.  To  this 
General  Sherman  replied,  on  the  27th,  that  he  had  immediately 
called  the  attention  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  it ;  that  "  five 
regiments  are  yet  waited  for, — three  from  Massachusetts,  one 


CONTROVERSY   WITH    GENERAL   BUTLER.  259 

from  Maine,  one  from  New  Hampshire;  and  it  is  hoped  that 
they  will  all  be  pressed  forward  at  the  earliest  day."  While 
this  correspondence  was  going  on,  and  Sherman  waiting  for  his 
regiments  in  New  York,  the  Secretary  of  War  sent*  orders 
direct  to  General  Wilson,  which  he  received  on  the  24th,  "to 
report  to  General  Butler,  and  form  a  component  part  of  his  pro 
posed  expedition."  The  Governor  then  wrote  to  Secretary 
Cameron,  "I  have  been  much  perplexed  and  embarrassed 
during  the  last  few  days  by  contradictory  orders  and  assurances, 
issuing  from  your  department."  To  avoid  which,  he  said  the 
regiments  in  this  State  should  be  organized  through,  and  not 
outside  of,  its  Governor.  He  also  says,  "General  Butler,  it  is 
evident  to  me,  desires  naturally  to  secure  to  his  own  command, 
with  or  without  consultation  with  me,  according  as  best  he  may, 
all  the  force  he  can,  even  to  the  prejudice  of  what  General 
Sherman  has  a  positive  right  to  expect  from  Massachusetts." 
Mr.  Cameron  replied  on  the  27th,  that  General  Sherman  was 
to  be  supplied  first,  afterwards  General  Butler.  "  It  is  the  in 
tention  of  this  department,"  he  says,  "to  leave  to  your  Excel 
lency  all  questions  concerning  the  organization  of  troops  in  your 
State,  and  the  orders  to  which  you  refer  were  designed  to  be 
subject  to  the  approval  and  control  of  the  Executive  of  Massa 
chusetts.  It  will  be  my  endeavor  to  act  strictly  in  accordance 
with  your  suggestions."  This  extract  is  underscored  in  the 
original. 

This  appears  explicit  enough  ;  and  yet  the  same  system  of 
cross  purposes  was  kept  up  for  some  time  after  at  Washington, 
to  the  insufferable  annoyance  of  the  Governor,  complicating 
and  retarding  recruiting,  and  delaying  the  completion  of  the 
regiments.  On  the  1st  of  October,  General  Order  No.  86 
was  issued  by  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  forming  the 
six  New-England  States  a  military  department,  the  head 
quarters  at  Boston,  and  providing  that  "  Major-General  B.  F. 
Butler,  United  States  Volunteer  Service,  while  engaged  in  re 
cruiting  his  division,  will  command."  In  connection  with  this, 
the  Secretary  directed  the  Paymaster-General  to  detail  an 
assistant  to  pay  the  men  enlisted,  and  to  be  enlisted,  by  Gen 
eral  Butler,  a  month's  pay  from  date  of  muster  in,  which  was  a 


260  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE   REBELLION. 

very  proper  order  if  it  had  been  of  general  application  ;  but  it 
was  very  improper,  to  be  applied  only  to  General  Butler's  com 
mand,  and  denied  to  General  Sherman's. 

On  the  2d  of  October,  the  Secretary  telegraphs  to  the  Gov 
ernor,  "  Send  three  regiments  for  General  Sherman  to  Hamp- 
stead  Camp,  on  Long  Island,  by  Monday  morning  at  the  latest, 
earlier  if  possible."  On  the  3d,  next  day,  the  Secretary  tele 
graphs  again  to  the  Governor,  "  Send  the  Wilson  Eegiment  to 
Washington  direct.  Give  Sherman  the  next  one,  as  soon  as 
possible." 

The  name  of  General  Sherman  henceforth  ceases  to  appear  in 
the  correspondence.  He  was  assigned  to  another  department. 
The  command  of  the  special  expedition  was  given  to  General 
Burnside,  and  five  Massachusetts  regiments  composed  a  part 
of  it.  These  were  the  Twenty-first,  Twenty-third,  Twenty- 
fourth,  Twenty-fifth,  and  Twenty-seventh.  The  camp  of  ren 
dezvous  was  at  Annapolis,  and  the  point  of  attack  was  North 
Carolina,  by  way  of  Roanoke  Island  and  Newbern.  The  ex 
pedition  was  successful. 

Major-General  Butler,  having  assumed  command  of  the  De 
partment  of  New  England,  and  established  his  headquarters  at 
Boston,  on  the  5th  of  October  issued  his  first  general  order, 
announcing  his  staff,  and  directing  "  all  officers  in  command  of 
troops  mustered  in  the  service  of  the  United  States  to  report, 
either  in  person  or  by  letter,  to  his  headquarters."  An  official 
copy  of  this  order  was  forwarded  to  Governor  Andrew. 

On  the  5th  of  October,  General  Butler  addressed  a  long 
letter  to  the  Governor,  informing  him  that  he  had  been  au 
thorized  by  the  President  to  raise  men  for  "  a  special  purpose," 
to  which,  he  stated,  "your  assent  was  given."  He  then 
says,  — 

"  Acting  upon  that  assent,  I  called  upon  you,  and  you  desired  that  I 
should  wait  a  week,  when  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Wilson,  then  being 
recruited,  would  be  full,  before  I  took  any  action  upon  that  subject. 
To  this  I  assented,  and  have  been  only  looking  out  for  officers  for  re 
cruiting  purposes,  and  have  made  no  public  announcement,  and  allowed 
no  one  who  had  a  special  corps  to  make  advertisement,  which  I  thought 
would  be  fully  within  the  understanding. 


CONTROVERSY  WITH  GENERAL  BUTLER.        261 

"  I  then  shew  you  an  order  to  take  regiments  already  raised,  and  not 
assigned  to  other  officers,  for  another  purpose,  and  you  offered  to  assign 
me  Colonel  Jones'  regiment.  You  also  said,  that  an  Irish  regiment, 
now  being  raised,  you  would  like  to  be  assigned  to  me;  to  that  I 
assented,  and  left  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  recruiting  in  Maine, 
and  from  thence  to  Washington.  On  my  return,  I  find  that  recruiting 
officers  have  been  making  publications  injurious  to  me  and  the  recruit 
ing  service  ;  so  it  becomes  necessary  to  know  exactly  what  is  under 
stood  between  us." 

He  then  proceeds,  "I  desire,  therefore,  the  simple  announce 
ment,  by  general  order,  that  I  have  authority  to  enlist  men  for  a 
regiment,  to  be  numbered  as  you  please,  also  a  squadron  of 
mounted  men  ;  these  troops  to  be  a  part  of  the  volunteer  force 
of  the  State  ;  these  to  be  in  addition  to  those  already  assigned 
by  you."  He  also  says  he  will  make  no  objections,  if  the  Irish 
regiment  is  withheld.  These  requests  granted,  he  adds,  "I  see 
no  difficulty  in  the  way  of  filling  up  all  these  regiments  at  once, 
save  this  one,"  which  was  the  practice  here  of  "recruiting  offi 
cers  offering  private  bounties  for  men,  of  five  and  seven  dollars/' 
This  he  regarded  as  vicious,  and  as  "  the  sale  of  men,"  and  men 
tions  other  objections. 

The  Governor  replied  to  the  letter  of  General  Butler  the  same 
evening,  after  his  return  from  the  cavalry  camp  at  Readville. 
The  letter  is  of  considerable  length.  In  the  beginning,  he 
says,  — 

"  I  beg  leave  to  say  at  once,  in  reply  to  your  remark  relating  to 
some  supposed  promise  of  mine,  that  I  did  not  at  any  time  say, 
that,  while  we  were  already  raising  so  many  regiments  in  Massachusetts, 
I  could  consent  to  an  embarrassment  of  the  service  by  additional  com 
petition  for  recruits.  But  while  I  assured  you  of  my  willingness,  so 
far  as  it  lay  in  my  power,  to  assign  to  you,  out  of  regiments  in  progress, 
our  fair  proportion,  or  more  than  that,  of  the  six  regiments  you  told 
me  you  wished  to  raise  in  New  England,  I  have  constantly  declared 
that  I  could  not  concur  in  a  policy,  which,  by  crowding  the  competition 
of  regiments,  would  be  fatal,  or  very  dangerous,  to  successful  recruit 
ing." 

The  Governor  thought  that  we  were  overdoing  recruiting ; 
and,  until  the  regiments  already  ordered  were  filled,  recruiting 
for  new  regiments  should  not  be  undertaken.  Having  given  his 


262  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

own  opinion,  however,  he  asks  the  General  to  forward  a  roster 
of  company  officers  for  the  regiment  he  wishes  to  raise,  and 
"  he  would  authorize  a  new  regiment  to  begin  in  a  week  from 
Monday  next,  under  Captain  Henry  L.  Abbott  (of  Massachu 
setts),  of  the  United  States  Topographical  Engineers,  for  colo 
nel  ;  and  Charles  Everett,  late  colonel  of  District  of  Colum 
bia  Volunteers,  formerly  serving  in  Mexico,  or  Major  Francis 
Brinley,  for  lieutenant-colonel ;  the  major  to  be  seasonably  se 
lected." 

The  Governor  disclaims  any  knowledge  of  recruiting  officers 
offering  private  bounties,  and  asks  that  the  names  of  such  per 
sons  may  be  sent  to  him,  "that  the  more  speedy  and  vigilant 
measures  for  suppression  and  rebuke  may  be  instituted."  In 
the  matter  of  recruiting  and  organizing  regiments,  the  Governor 
says,  "We  have  pursued  a  system,  carefully,  watchfully,  faith 
fully,  and  zealously,  in  which,  by  the  intelligent  aid  and  loyal 
co-operation  of  all  officers,  of  the  State  and  of  the  Union,  who 
have  had  any  connection  with  such  matters  here,  we  have  found 
reason  to  trust.  In  fact,  almost  any  system  is  better  than 
none."  After  stating  that  Massachusetts  had  already  forwarded 
sixteen  regiments  of  infantry,  and  other  troops,  to  the  front,  he 
continues,  — 

"  We  are,  at  this  very  moment,  doing  half  as  much  more,  and  doing 
it  with  the  utmost  of  our  ability ;  and  we  have  thus  far  escaped  the 
confusion  and  uncertainty  of  movement  which  have  embarrassed  some 
other  States,  and  from  which,  with  much  effort,  their  Governors  have 
only  just  now  escaped.  Now,  with  the  utmost  respect  for  the  Depart 
ment  of  War,  and  for  yourself  personally,  and  with  the  most  loyal  sen 
timents  of  obedience,  I  mean  to  continue  to  do  just  what  I  have,  from 
the  first,  persistently  done ;  and  that  is,  to  hold,  with  an  iron  hand 
and  unswerving  purpose,  all  the  powers  which,  by  the  laws,  pertain  to 
me  officially,  in  my  own  grasp,  —  yielding  the  most  implicit  obedience, 
in  all  things,  to  those  having  the  right  to  direct  me,  but,  at  the  same 
time,  remembering  that  true  subordination  requires  every  officer  to  per 
form  liis  own  duties  and  fulfil  his  own  functions  himself,  as  well  as  to 
submit  himself  loyally  to  his  superiors." 

He  then  refers  to  the  laws  of  Congress  and  the  orders  of  the 
department,  which  give  to  the  Governors  of  States  the  exclu- 


CONTROVERSY   WITH    GENERAL   BUTLER.  263 

sive  control  of  raising  regiments  in  their  own  States  :  "  Nor  is 
it  permitted  by  law,  even  to  the  President  himself,  even  were  he 
so  disposed,  to  interfere  in  the  premises."  He  also  informs  the 
General,  that  he  has  the  assurance  of  the  Secretary  of  War, 
"that  he  had  issued  no  orders,  and  would  issue  none,  tending  to 
interfere  with  the  State  authorities." 

He  concludes  this  able  letter  by  saying, 

"  I  shall  do  exactly  by  you  as  I  have  done  by  General  Sherman  and 
General  Burnside,  —  that  is  to  say,  I  shall  use  every  exertion  to  furnish 
troops  for  the  service  you  propose,  in  our  full  proportion ;  but  it  must 
be  done  by  pursuing  such  methods  and  plans  as  we  have  found  neces 
sary  for  the  general  advantage  of  the  service.  Nor  can  I  permit,  so  far 
as  it  lies  with  me,  to  decide  any  officers  of  the  United  States  to  raise 
troops  as  Massachusetts  volunteers  within  this  Commonwealth,  except 
for  the  recruitment  of  existing  regiments,  or  subject  to  the  conditions 
indicated ;  while  any  advice  or  friendly  assistance  will  be  gratefully  re 
ceived  from  any  quarter,  much  more  from  a  gentleman  of  your  capacity 
to  advise,  and  your  hearty  zeal  in  the  cause  we  are  both  anxious  to 
serve." 

The  Governor  had  telegraphed,  on  the  morning  of  the  5th,  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  to  know  if  he  "  would  pay  our  soldiers, 
as  fast  as  mustered  in,  half  a  month's  pay,  detailing  paymasters 
therefor.  Do  not  authorize  this  for  any,  unless  for  all.  What 
is  General  Butler's  power  and  position  here  ?  "  To  which  he 
received,  as  an  answer,  "  We  cannot  pay  in  advance.  General 
Butler  has  authority  to  concentrate  a  brigade  for  special  service, 
all  of  which  is  to  be  organized  under  the  several  Governors  of 
the  Eastern  States.  We  gave  General  Butler  authority  with  re 
gard  to  advance  pay."  The  Governor  also  wrote  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Cameron  in  regard  to  matters.  It  would  appear,  that,  some 
time  on  the  seventh  of  the  month,  General  Butler  requested  a 
personal  interview  with  the  Governor,  and  called  at  the  State 
House  ;  but,  the  Governor  being  engaged  in  the  Council  Cham 
ber,  the  interview  did  not  take  place. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  letter  of  the  Governor  of  Oct.  5 
changed  in  the  least  decree  the  determination  of  General  But- 

o  o 

ler  to  enlist  men.      He  opened  a  camp  in  Pittsfield,  and  another 
in  Lowell,  and  commenced  recruiting  two  regiments  of  infantry, 


2b'4  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

—  one  designated  the  Western  Bay-State  Regiment,  the  other 
the  Eastern  Bay-State  Regiment ;  also,  a  battery  of  light  artil 
lery,  and  three  companies  of  cavalry. 

The  only  reply  made  to  the  letter  of  the  5th  is  the  following, 
which  is  given  entire  :  — 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  or  NEW  ENGLAND, 
BOSTON,  Oct.  12,  1861. 

Will  "  His  Excellency  Governor  Andrew  "  assign  to  General  But 
ler  the  recruitment  of  a  regiment  of  Massachusetts  volunteers,  and  a 
squadron  of  mounted  men,  to  be  armed  and  equipped  by  him,  under 
the  authority  of  the  President ;  the  officers  to  be  selected  by  General 
Butler,  but  commissioned  by  "  His  Excellency,"  with,  of  course,  a  veto 
power  upon  what  may  be  deemed  an  improper  selection.  As  these 
officers  are  to  go  with  General  Butler  upon  duty,  would  "  His  Excel 
lency  "  think  it  improper  he  should  exercise  the  power  of  recommenda 
tion  ? 

To  the  telegram  of  the  President,  asking  consent  that  the  authoriza 
tion  should  be  given  to  General  Butler  to  raise  troops,  "  His  Excel 
lency  "  telegraphed,  in  reply,  that  he  would  "  aid  "  General  Butler  to  the 
utmost. 

General  Butler  knows  no  way  in  which  "His  Excellency"  can  aid 
him  so  effectually  as  in  the  manner  proposed. 

The  selection  by  "  His  Excellency "  in  advance,  without  consulta 
tion,  of  a  colonel  and  lieutenant-colonel  of  an  unformed  regiment,  not  a 
soldier  of  which  has  been  recruited  by  the  State,  and  both  these  gen 
tlemen,  to  whom  the  General,  at  present,  knows  no  personal  objection, 
being  absent  from  the  State  on  other  duty,  seems  to  him  very  objec 
tionable. 

It  is  not  certain  that  Lieutenant  Abbott,  of  the  Topographical  En 
gineers,  will  be  permitted  to  leave  his  corps.  Colonel  Everett  has  not 
lived  in  the  State  for  many  years,  and  has  not  such  interest  identified 
with  the  State,  or  the  men  of  Massachusetts  whom  he  would  com 
mand,  as  to  render  his  appointment  desirable. 

General  Butler  has  had  and  can  have  the  aid  of  neither  in  his  regi 
ments  ;  and  he  believes  that  those  who  do  the  work,  other  things  being 
equal,  should  have  the  offices.  General  Butler  would  have  been  happy 
to  have  conferred  with  "  His  Excellency  "  upon  these  and  other  points  ; 
but  "  His  Jkcellency  "  did  not  seem  to  desire  it. 

General  Butler  has  proceeded  upon  this  thesis  in  his  recruitment, 
to  say  to  all  patriotic  young  men  who  seemed  proper  persons,  and  who 
have  desired  to  enter  the  service  as  officers,  If  you  have  the  confidence 


CONTROVERSY  WITH  GENERAL  BUTLER.        265 

of  your  neighbors,  so  that  you  can  recruit  a  given  number  of  men,  then 
by  giving  evidence  of  your  energy  and  capacity  thus  far,  if  you  are 
found  fit  in  other  respects,  on  examination,  I  will  recommend  you  for  a 
commission  to  command  the  number  of  men  you  shall  raise. 

This  is  believed  to  be  a  course  much  better  calculated  to  find  officers 
than  to  hunt  for  them  by  the  uncertain  light  of  petitions  and  recom 
mendations. 

General  Butler  desires  to  make  good  his  word  to  these  young  gen 
tlemen.  "  His  Excellency  "  will  perceive  the  impossibility  of  at  once 
furnishing  a  roster  under  such  circumstances,  as  requested,  for  "  His 
Excellency's  "  perusal. 

"  His  Excellency's "  attention  is  called  to  the  fact  that  no  reply  has 
been  received  to  General  Butler's  request,  as  to  a  squadron  of  mounted 
men. 

General  Butler  is  informed,  by  the  returns  of  those  who  have 
recruited  for  him,  that  he  has  already  a  number  of  men  equal  to 
two  regiments  in  such  progress  that  they  can  be  organized,  being  the 
most  prompt  recruitment  ever  done  in  this  State,  —  these  besides  the 
Twenty-sixth  and  Twenty-eighth  Regiments,  assigned  to  him  by  gen 
eral  order. 

General  Butler  trusts  that  "  His  Excellency  "  will  not,  without  the 
utmost  necessity  for  it,  throw  any  obstacles  in  the  way  of  his  recruit 
ment,  as  General  Butler  is  most  anxious  to  get  his  division  organized, 
so  as  to  start  upon  an  expedition  already  planned,  in  the  service  of  his 
country. 

General  Butler  hopes  that  these  views  will  meet  "  His  Excellen 
cy's  "  concurrence  and  co-operation. 

Most  respectfully  "  His  Excellency's  "  obedient  servant, 

BENJAMIN  F.  BUTLER. 

The  Governor  being  absent  from  Boston,  the  receipt  of  the 
letter  was  acknowledged  by  Colonel  Browne  on  the  14th,  and 
was  by  him  forwarded  to  the  Governor. 

It  does  not  appear  that  the  Governor  took  any  immediate 
official  notice  of  this  letter. 

We  pass  over  much  that  was  written,  but  which  were  but 
eddies  in  the  tide  of  this  correspondence,  to  bring  it  to  a  fair 
and  intelligent  close.  We  will  only  state  the  fact,  that,  on  the 
llth  of  November,  we  received  a  letter  from  Colonel  Kitchie, 
senior  aid,  directing  the  Adjutant-General  to  issue  Order  No. 
570,  which  was,  in  substance,  that  General  Butler,  having  sent 


266  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

an  order  to  Colonel  Stevenson,  Twenty-fourth  Regiment  Massa 
chusetts  Volunteers,  to  deliver  up  to  him  certain  soldiers  mus 
tered  into  said  regiment,  who  had  deserted  from  one  of  General 
Butler's  regiments,  that  Colonel  Stevenson  was  not  to  obey  the 
order,  as  General  Butler  had  no  authority  to  enlist  volunteers  in 
Massachusetts,  except  for  the  Twenty -sixth  and  Twenty-eighth 
Regiments.  Colonel  Stevenson,  at  that  time,  had  a  part  of 
his  command  at  Fort  Warren,  on  duty,  although  his  headquar 
ters  were  at  Readville  ;  and  he  was  ordered,  that,  "  if  he  cannot 
protect  and  hold  his  men  at  Fort  Warren,  he  shall  remove  them 
immediately  to  f  Camp  Massasoit,'  at  Readville,  and  hold  them 
until  otherwise  ordered." 

The  Governor  had  been  written  to  by  Mr.  Sargent,  the  Mayor 
of  Lowell,  and  many  other  city  and  town  authorities,  asking 
him  whether  the  families  of  the  men  who  had  enlisted  under 
General  Butler  were  entitled  to  the  "  State  aid,"  which  com 
munications  were  referred  to  the  Attorney-General,  Hon. 
D wight  Foster,  who  returned,  as  an  opinion,  that  all  volunteers 
who  are  inhabitants  of  this  State,  and  enlist  here  under  the 
authority  of  the  Governor,  and  the  officers  of  the  regiments  are 
commissioned  by  him,  their  families  are  entitled  to  the  aid  ;  and, 
if  General  Butler's  brigade  is  to  be  so  raised  and  commissioned, 
then  the  families  of  the  men  enlisted  should  receive  it.  He  con 
cludes  by  saying,  — 

"  I  suppose  this  will  be  the  case,  and  the  men  enlisted  by  him  will 
be  entitled  to  the  usual  aid ;  and  I  only  state  my  opinion  in  this  guarded 
form,  because  of  the  possible  and  highly  improbable  contingency  of  vol 
unteers  being  enlisted  in  full  regiments  in  Massachusetts,  without  the 
sanction  of  its  Executive,  the  officers  of  which  he  might  decline  to  com 
mission  or  recognize." 

This  opinion  was,  in  effect,  against  allowing  the  State  aid  to 
the  families  of  the  men  who  had  been  enlisted  by  General  But 
ler.  The  "highly  improbable  contingency"  already  existed. 
State  aid  was  not  paid  by  the  cities  and  towns  to  the  families 
of  enlisted  men,  until  the  authorities  of  the  places  to  which 
the  men  belonged  had  received  a  certificate,  signed  by  the 
Adjutant-General  of  the  State,  that  the  men  were  mustered  in, 
and  the  muster-rolls  had  been  deposited  in  his  office.  No 


CONTROVERSY    WITH    GENERAL   BUTLER.  267 

muster-rolls  had  been  received  by  the  Adjutant-General  from  the 
corps  said  to  have  been  recruited  by  General  Butler.  No 
assurance  had  been  received  from  Washington,  that  the  men 
had  been  mustered  in,  and  credited  to  the  contingent  of  the 
State. 

On  the  27th  of  November,  Major  Strong,  chief  of  staff  to 
General  Butler,  forwarded  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  State 
a  list  of  officers  which  had  been  adopted  by  General  Butler  for 
"  a  company  known  as  the  Salem  Light  Artillery,"  with  a 
request  that  they  be  commissioned  by  the  Governor. 

On  the  17th  of  December,  General  Butler  wrote  to  the 
Governor,  calling  his  attention  to  the  letter  of  Major  Strong, 
with  a  request  that  he  might  be  favored  "  with  a  reply  whether 
he  will  or  will  not  commission  the  officers  therein  named/' 
General  Butler  also  claimed,  that  the  company  "was  raised 
under  the  authority  of  the  State,  and  with  His  Excellency's 
approval." 

By  direction  of  the  Governor,  Colonel  Browne  replied  on  the 
same  day  to  this  communication,  that  it  was  the  intention  of 
the  Governor  "  at  a  proper  time  to  appoint  and  commission  suit 
able  officers  for  the  battery  ;  but  that  he  was  not  advised  of  their 
intended  removal  from  the  Commonwealth,  nor  was  any  request 
made  for  such  appointments,  either  from  the  company  or  from 
the  acting  officers,  or  from  any  source,  until  eight  days  after 
the  whole  company  had  been  removed  from  Massachusetts, 
when  the  Governor  was  requested  by  Major  Strong  to  com 
mission  certain  persons,  on  the  ground  that  they  had  been 
elected  by  the  company,  as  it  was  said.  But  the  company  was 
gone.  None  of  its  rolls  having  been  deposited  in  the  office  of 
the  Adjutant-General,  there  was  no  means  of  identifying  its 
men." 

The  letter  further  states,  that  the  responsibility  of  appointing 
suitable  officers  rests  with  the  Governor,  and  that,  as  regards  one 
of  the  persons  recommended,  "  the  information  received  by  the 
Governor  is,  that  his  character  is  such  as  to  render  him  unfit  for 
appointment." 

The  Governor  further  stated,  that  he  was  desirous  of  com 
missioning  officers  for  the  battery,  "and  would  be  glad  to 


268  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

receive    the    testimonials    of  any    on    which    their    claims    are 
founded." 

On  the  18th  (next  day),  this  letter  was  returned  to  Colonel 
Browne  by  Major  Strong,  with  the  following  note  :  — 

« §IR?  —  Major-General  Butler,  commanding  the  Department  of 
New  England,  directs  that  the  enclosed  communication  be  respectfully 
returned  to  His  Excellency  Governor  Andrew,  as  being  of  improper 
address  and  signature." 

The  same  day,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Major  Strong,  express 
ing  his  surprise,  and  that,  knowing  the  contents  of  the  letter 
which  is  returned,  he  found  himself  unable  to  instruct  Colonel 
Browne  how  to  amend  it,  "  since  the  particulars  of  the  offence 
were  not  stated,  and  were  not  discernible  to  me,  nor,  as  I 
am  assured,  by  him."  He  therefore  asks  "the  favor  of  a  precise 
statement  of  the  offence  committed."  To  which  Major  Strong 
replied  on  the  19th.  After  referring  to  army  regulations,  para 
graph  449,  he  said,  — 

"  The  letter  to  which  that  was  a  reply  was  addressed  to  your 
Excellency,  and  therefore  signed  by  General  Butler  himself,  as  claim 
ing  to  be  your  Excellency's  co-ordinate.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Browne's 
letter  was  addressed,  not  to  the  chief  of  staff  at  these  headquarters, 
but  directly  to  the  Major- General  commanding  the  department,  and 
even  then  not  in  his  official  capacity." 

On  Dec.  20,  a  reply  was  made  in  a  letter  signed  by  Colonel 
Browne,  from  which  we  make  the  following  extracts  :  — 

"  With  the  single  exception  of  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
no  officer  or  person,  whether  State  or  national,  civil  or  military, 
whether  temporarily  sojourning  or  permanently  residing  within  the 
limits  of  Massachusetts,  can  be  recognized  within  such  limits  as  the 
1  co-ordinate '  of  the  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth  in  official  dignity 
or  rank." 

He  then  expresses  surprise  that  a  gentleman  of  General 
Butler's  acumen  and  professional  training  "  should  quote  the 
regulations  of  the  army  of  the  United  States,  as  dictating  cere 
monies  of  official  intercourse  to  a  magistrate  who  is  no  part  of 
that  army,  and  not  subject  to  its  regulations."  His  attention  is 
also  called  to  the  order  of  the  War  Department  of  Sept.  16,  by 


CONTROVERSY  WITH  GENERAL  BUTLER.        269 

which  Major-General  Butler  is  placed  under  the  orders  of  the 
Governor  of  Massachusetts,  in  respect  to  raising  and  organizing 
volunteers. 

"  In  the  present  condition  of  national  affairs,  the  Governor  considers 
it  impolitic  and  unpatriotic  to  embarrass  the  public  service  by  undue 
nicety  of  etiquette;  and  he  regrets  that  Major- General  Butler's 
views  of  duty  in  this  particular  should  not  have  corresponded  with  his 
own,  so  as  to  render  the  present  correspondence  unnecessary." 

After  disclaiming  all  intentional  discourtesy,  the  letter  thus 
refers  to  the  letter  quoted  entire  on  a  preceding  page  : 

"  General  Butler's  letter  of  Oct.  12,  written  to  Governor  Andrew, 
but  not  addressed  to  him,  except  in  so  far  as  he  is  mentioned  in  the 
third  person,  after  the  fashion  of  dinner  invitations,  and  the  like,  on 
private  and  social  occasions,  and  not  signed  by  the  Major-General 
with  any  addition  of  rank  or  command,  and  frequently  re-iterating  the 
Governor's  constitutional  title  and  name,  with  significant  and  con 
spicuous  marks  of  quotation  surrounding  them  whenever  repeated. 

"  It  is  customary  to  affix  marks  of  quotation  in  manuscript  to  indi 
cate  passages  or  expressions  borrowed  from  some  other  to  whom  they 
ought  to  be  credited.  But  I  am  not  aware,  that  a  name  given  in 
baptism,  or  inherited  from  a  parent,  or  a  title  conferred  by  the  Constitu 
tion  on  a  magistrate  as  his  official  description,  are  in  any  sense  original 
ideas,  or  expressions  which  it  is  usual  to  designate  by  marks  of  quota 
tion.  Nor  is  this  a  matter  in  which  a  gentleman  of  Major-General 
Butler's  learning  and  urbanity  could  have  erred  by  mistake.  .  .  .  When 
a  gentleman  has  violated  the  substance  of  courtesy,  as  did  General 
Butler  in  that  letter  of  Oct.  12,  by  a  studious,  indirect,  insinuating, 
but  not  less  significant,  intentional  act  of  impoliteness  towards  a 
magistrate  whose  only  offence  was  fidelity  to  his  duty,  to  the  laws,  and 
to  the  rights  ef  his  official  position,  he  cannot  be  permitted,  without 
comment,  to  arraign  another  for  a  supposed  breach  of  military  inter 
course,  simply  formal,  technical,  and  arbitrary,  as  he  has  assumed  to 
arraign  me  in  this  matter  through  yourself." 

This  letter  would  have  been  addressed  directly  to  General 
Butler,  had  the  Governor  not  been  advised  that  he  was  at 
Washington.  He  soon  after  returned,  and,  on  the  28th  of 
December,  wrote  to  the  Governor  a  letter  in  which  he  says,  — 

"I  disclaim  most  emphatically  any  intentional  or  even  accidental 
discourtesy  to  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts. 


270  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

"  In  the  matter  of  the  address  in  quotation,  I  but  copied  the  address 
assumed  by  one  of  the  numerous  military  secretaries  who  write  me 
on  behalf  of  the  Governor,  and  it  was  because  of  the  formality  of  that 
address.  '  His  Excellency  Governor  Andrew '  is  neither  a  baptismal, 
inherited,  or  constitutional  title ;  and,  after  using  it  once  in  the  letter 
alluded  to,  I  carefully  used  the  title  of  the  Constitution,  and  marked  it 
in  quotation  to  call  attention  to  the  difference." 

It  appears  by  this,  that  General  Butler  ^carefully  used  the 
title  of  the  Constitution,  and  marked  it  in  quotation  to  call 
attention  to  the  difference" 

Mr.  Parton,  in  his  "Life  of  General  Butler,"  says, — 

"  The  person  who  made  the  copy  sent  to  the  Governor,  with  per 
verse  uniformity,  placed  inverted  commas  before  and  after  those  words 
(His  Excellency),  as  if  to  intimate  that  the  author  of  the  letter  used 
them  reluctantly,  and  only  in  obedience  to  a  custom.  It  looked  like  an 
intentional  and  elaborate  affront,  and  served  to  embitter  the  contro 
versy.  Whei),  at  length,  the  General  was  made  acquainted  with  the 
insertion,  he  was  not  in  a  humor  to  give  a  complete  explanation ;  nor, 
indeed,  is  it  a  custom  with  him  to  get  out  of  a  scrape  by  casting  blame 
upon  a  subordinate." 

This  information,  Mr.  Parton  says,  he  received  "from  a  con 
fidential  member  of  General  Butler's  staff,  the  late  General 
Strong,"  who  was  killed  at  Fort  Wagner. 

This  letter  appears  to  have  closed  the  controversy  regarding 
the  letter  of  Oct.  12  ;  but  it  introduced  a  new  element  of  con 
troversy.  Respecting  commissioning  the  officers  of  Battery 
No.  4,  General  Butler  alludes  to  the  objections  which  the  Gov 
ernor  had  interposed  in  regard  to  one  of  the  persons  recom 
mended,  and  says,  — 

"  If  any  base  charge  can  be  substantiated  against  either  of  them,  I 
shall  be  happy  to  substitute  others.  I  believe,  however,  that  neither 
of  them  have  ever  done  any  thing  worse  than  seducing  a  mother, 
and  making  a  father  wifeless  and  children  motherless ;  and  that,  you 
know,  is  no  objection  to  a  high  military  commission  in  Massachu 
setts." 

On  the  30th,  the  Governor  addressed  a  note  to  General  But 
ler,  in  which  he  quotes  the  words  in  the  above  extract,  and 
requests  to  know  what  officer  it  is  to  whom  he  refers  :  — 


CONTROVERSY  WITH  GENERAL  BUTLER.        271 

"Moreover,  may  I  ask  whose  mother  is  alluded  to,  and  whose  wife? 
and  does  the  implied  allegation  mean  that  the  crime  of  murder  was 
added  to  that  of  seduction,  although  the  words  '  you  know '  assume  the 
existence  of  greater  knowledge  than  I  possess  ?  And,  indeed,  since 
the  day  I  had  the  honor  to  detail  yourself  as  a  brigadier-general  of 
the  militia,  at  the  beginning  of  the  present  war,  to  this  day°  and  both 
inclusive,  I  cannot  accuse  myself  of  such  an  appointment.  If  I  have 
done  so,  I  beg  you  to  expose  it." 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1862,  General  Butler  answered,— 

"  I  referred,  in  my  communication  of  the  28th  ult.,  to  the  case  of 
Wyman,  appointed  by  your  Excellency  colonel  of  the  Sixteenth  Mas 
sachusetts  Regiment.  Unless  the  testimony  of  brother  officers  serving 
with  Wyman  is  to  be  disbelieved,  facts  notorious  are  to  be  denied 
which  have  never  been  denied  before. 

"  Colonel  Wyman,  while  an  officer  of  the  United  States  army,  held 
long  adulterous  intercourse  with  a  Mrs.  Brannan,  the  wife  of  a  brother 
officer.  This  woman  afterwards  left  her  home  under  such  circum 
stances  as  to  induce  the  belief  that  she  was  either  murdered  by  herself 
or  another. 

"  This  Wyman  obtained  leave  of  absence  from  the  army,  and  joined 
his  paramour  in  Europe  ;  while  there,  he  resigned  his  commission, 
because  of  a  letter  from  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army  that  he 
would  be  court-martialled  if  he  did  not,  and  remained  abroad  until 
after  the  breaking-out  of  the  war,  when  he  left  her  embraces,  and  re 
turned  to  the  army  of  the  Commonwealth  under  your  Excellency's 
appointment. 

"  This  woman  was  the  mother  of  children ;  and,  if  I  should  amend 
the  language  of  my  communication  of  the  28th  ult.,  I  should  add, 
'  making  a  father  worse  than  wifeless,  and  children  worse  than 
motherless.' 

"  I  used  the  phrase  '  you  know,'  because  I  have  been  informed,  and  I 
have  reason  to  believe  and  do  believe,  that  the  substance  of  these  facts 
was  known  to  your  Excellency  at  the  time  you  made  the  appointment. 
Will  your  Excellency  deny  that  you  were  then  put  upon  inquiry  as  to 
them? 

"  I  cannot  expose  this  matter,  because  it  has  long  since  been  made  a 
matter  of  exposition  in  the  public  prints.  I  have  no  farther  knowledge 
of  Colonel  Wyman,  save  that  which  may  be  learned  by  inquiry  of  any 
officer  of  the  army  who  served  with  him.  I  have  no  disposition  to 
injure  or  interfere  with  him,  and  have  made  this  communication  only 
in  reply  to  your  Excellency's  statement." 


272  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

As  this  was  a  grave,  personal  matter,  touching  the  character 
of  a  brave  and  patriotic  officer  of  Massachusetts,  then  at  the 
front  with  his  regiment,  and  who  fell  at  the  head  of  it,  a  few 
months  afterwards,  bravely  fighting,  we  have  thought  it  proper 
to  copy  this  correspondence  entire.  The  dead  officer  lies  in 
Mount  Auburn  Cemetery.  His  services  and  his  memory  de 
serve  that  the  defence  of  Governor  Andrew,  like  the  charge  of 
General  Butler,  should  be  given  without  abridgment.  Under 
date  of  Jan.  6,  1862,  Governor  Andrew  writes  to  General 
Butler,  - 

"  SIR,  —  At  the  first  hour  at  my  disposal  for  the  purpose,  I  ac 
knowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter  of  Jan.  1,  in  which  you  state  that 
Colonel  Powell  T.  Wyman,  commanding  the  Sixteenth  Regiment 
Massachusetts  Volunteer  Infantry,  now  stationed  at  Fortress  Monroe, 
is  the  person  to  whom  you  had  reference,  when,  addressing  me  under 
date  of  Dec.  28,  you  asserted  that  I  '  know  '  that  '  seducing  a  mother, 
and  making  a  father  wifeless  and  children  motherless,'  i  is  no  objection 
to  a  high  military  commission  in  Massachusetts.' 

"  In  answer  to  your  somewhat  peremptory  interrogatories,  ad 
dressed  to  me  in  that  letter  of  Jan.  1,  I  would  state,  for  your  informa 
tion,  that  the  first  knowledge  I  ever  had  of  Mr.  Wyman  was  through 
a  letter  addressed  by  him  to  the  Adjutant- General  of  Massachusetts, 
dated  '  London,  England,  May  1,  1861,'  stating  that  he  was  a  citizen 
of  Boston  and  a  graduate  of  the  West-Point  Military  Academy,  and 
had  served  for  ten  years  as  an  officer  of  artillery  of  the  United  States 
army,  and  tendering  his  services  to  the  Executive  of  this  Common 
wealth  in  any  military  capacity.  I  am  not  aware  that  any  acknowledg 
ment  was  ever  made  of  this  communication. 

"  During  the  month  of  June,  I  received  another  note  from  Mr.  Wy 
man,  dated  at  the  Parker  House,  Boston,  he  having,  in  the  mean  while, 
returned  to  America.  This  letter  was  assigned  to  a  member  of  my 
staff,  to  whom  Mr.  Wyman  was  referred  for  consultation.  It  was  at 
that  time  that  I  first  heard  that  there  was  said  to  be  a  cloud  of  some 
sort  upon  Mr.  Wyman's  character ;  and,  having  little  leisure  myself  to 
enter  into  quasi-judicial  investigations  as  to  personal  character,  I  passed 
over  his  name  in  the  appointments  which  I  was  then  making.  The 
nature  of  the  reports  against  him  were  not  then  stated  to  me ;  and,  al 
though  I  was  soon  after  advised  of  them,  yet  there  are  things  stated,  in 
your  letter  of  Jan.  1,  as  'notorious  facts,'  of  which  it  is  only  through 
yourself  that  I  have  knowledge. 


CONTROVERSY  WITH  GENERAL  BUTLER.        273 

"Very  shortly  afterwards,  Adam  W.  Thaxter,  Esq.,  of  this  city 
doubtless  known  to  you  as  one  of  the  most  distinguished  merchants  of 
Boston,  brought  the  name  of  Mr.  Wyman  very  urgently  to  my  atten 
tion,  both  personally  and  in  a  letter,  dated  June  20,  in  which  he  re- 
quested  me  to  call  on  himself,  if  Mr.  Wyman  should  <  need  an  indorser,' 
and  stated,  that,  in  his  opinion,  Mr.  Wyman,  if  appointed  a  colonel, 
would  'do  credit  to  his  native  State.' 

"And,  on  July  1,  Mr.  Thaxter  further  presented  to  me  a  communi 
cation,  in  writing,  signed  by  Captain  Thomas  J.  C.  Amory,  of  the  Sev 
enth  Infantry,  U.S.A.,  and  Captain  Lewis  H.  Marshall,  of  the  Tenth 
Infantry,  U.S.A.,  both  of  whom  had  served  in  the  army  with  Mr.  Wy 
man,  and  who  were,  if  I  remember,  the  only  United  States  regular 
army  officers  then  on  duty  in  this  city ;  and  signed  also  by  Charles  G. 
Greene,  Esq.,  Franklin  Haven,   Esq.,  William   Dehon,  Esq.,  William 
Parkman,  Esq.,  Hon.  George  Lunt,  Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Hallett,  Henry 
L.  Hallett,  Esq.,  P.  Holmes,  Esq.,  Edward  F.  Bradley,  Esq.,  Joseph 
L.  Henshaw,  Esq.,  Peter  Butler,  Esq.,  Thomas  C.  Amory,  Esq.,  and 
J.  P.  Bradlee,  Esq.,  —  all  of  these  gentlemen  of  this  cjty,  who  are 
doubtless  known  to  you  by  reputation,  and  with  some  of  whom  I  cannot 
doubt  that  you  are  personally  acquainted,  —  in  which  communication, 
these  gentlemen  requested  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Wyman  as  a  colo 
nel,  and  certified  that  they  '  believed  in  him  as  a  gentleman,  a  man  of 
worth,  an  accomplished  officer,  and  brave  soldier ;  and  that  a  regiment 
under  his  command  would  yield  to  none  in  the  service  for  discipline, 
high  tone,  and  efficiency ;  and  also,  that  they  felt  convinced,  '  under  all 
circumstances,'  he  '  would  do  honor  to  his  State  and  to  his  country.' 
These  gentlemen  further  stated,  that  they  made  this  request  in  full 
knowledge  of  the  existence  of  the  rumors  and  influences  against  Mr. 
Wyman's  reputation ;    and  nevertheless,  with  such   knowledge,  they 
earnestly  '  urged '  him,  '  as  one  of  those  to  whom  the  honor  of  Massa 
chusetts  may  confidently  be  trusted.' 

"  About  the  same  time,  Mr.  Wyman  addressed  to  me  a  communica 
tion  in  writing,  denying  the  truth  of  the  prejudicial  rumors  in  circula 
tion  against  him,  and,  although  admitting  that  it  was  true  that  he  had 
formed  a  matrimonial  connection  with  a  lady  who  had  eloped  from  her 
husband  by  reason  of  that  husband's  brutal  treatment  of  her,  yet  stat 
ing  also  that  he  had  not  seen  the  lady  for  the  year  preceding,  nor  for  the 
year  after,  her  elopement.  This  communication,  I  find,  upon  referring 
to  it,  amounts  also  to  a  denial  of  the  truth  of  much  that  is  stated  by 
you,  in  your  letter  of  Jan.  1,  as  'notorious  facts,'  derogatory  to  Mr. 
Wyman's  character. 

"  Upon  the  basis  of  this  statement,  made  by  Mr.  Wyman,  and  cou- 

18 


274  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

trolled  by  no  responsible  counter-statement  or  testimony  whatsoever,  and 
upon  the  formal  assurance  I  received  fro*m  the  numerous  gentlemen 
whom  I  have  mentioned,  that  he  was  a  good  soldier  and  a  good  citizen, 
I  did  not  feel  myself  justified  in  rejecting  the  services  of  a  highly  mer 
itorious  and  thoroughly  educated  officer,  upon  unsubstantial  rumors  of 
an  alleged  moral  error,  which  did  not  affect  his  military  competency, 
and  more  especially  at  a  time  when  the  services  of  educated  officers 
were  so  greatly  needed  for  the  command  of  our  troops. 

"I  therefore  appointed  Mr.  Wyman  to  be  colonel  of  the  Sixteenth 
Regiment,  —  an  appointment  which,  under  the  circumstances  stated, 
commended  itself  to  my  judgment,  and  which  I  have  no  reason  what 
soever  now  to  regret,  and,  under  like  circumstances,  should  not  hesitate 
to  repeat. 

"  As  it  was  upon  the  faith  of  the  assurances  made  to  me  by  Mr. 
Thaxter  and  the  other  gentlemen  in  their  communication  of  July  1  that 
the  appointment  of  Colonel  Wyman  was  made.  I  therefore  conceive 
that  your  quarrel  with  this  appointment  should  be  with  those  gentlemen, 
rather  than  with  myself;  and  therefore  I  propose  to  inclose  copies  of 
your  correspondence  with  me,  in  this  connection,  to  Mr.  Thaxter,  as  rep 
resenting  them  ;  and  I  must  request  you  to  address  to  them  any  future 
correspondence  upon  this  subject,  inasmuch  as  they  are  better  acquainted 
than  myself  with  Colonel  Wyman,  and  his  character,  life,  and  con 
nections,  which  I  know  chiefly  through  them.  I  desire  to  add,  that, 
in  all  the  intercourse  which  I  have  had  with  Colonel  Wyman  during 
the  organization  of  his  regiment,  I  never  observed,  on  his  part,  the 
manifestation  of  any  other  qualities  than  those  of  an  accomplished 
officer  ;  and  I  should  be  very  reluctant  to  give  credit  to  your  reproaches 
against  his  character,  especially  in  view  of  the  standing  of  those  gen 
tlemen  by  whom  his  character  as  a  gentleman  was  certified  to  me. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  would  say,  that  I  do  not  feel  that  any  reason  exists, 
requiring  me  to  enter  into  such  an  explanation  as  the  above  ;  but  when 
an  officer  of  the  rank  of  major-general  in  the  army  of  the  United 
States  volunteers  thinks  it  necessary  to  diversify  his  occupations  by 
needless  flings  at  a  fellow-officer  in  the  same  army,  seeking  to  strike 
myself  through  him,  a  sense  of  honor  and  duty,  both  to  the  Common 
wealth  and  to  the  gentleman  thus  struck  at,  requires  me  to  spare  no 
proper  pains  to  see  that  justice  is  fully  done." 

As  reference  is  made,  in  the  above  letter,  to  a  letter  received 
by  the  Adjutant-General  from  Colonel  Wyman,  we  would  say, 
that  our  recollection  of  it  is,  that  it  was  brought  to  our  office  by 
an  old  friend  of  Colonel  Wyman,  —  James  Oakes,  Esq.,  a 


CONTROVERSY  WITH  GENERAL  BUTLER.        275 

merchant  of  this  city.  The  letter  had  been  inclosed  in  on* 
which  he  had  received  from  Colonel  Wyman.  It  was  a  tender 
of  his  services  to  the  Governor  of  his  native  State,  in  any  mili 
tary  capacity  he  might  be  pleased  to  place  him.  Before  any 
action  was  taken  upon  the  matter,  Colonel  Wyman  arrived  in 
Boston,  and  reported  at  the  State  House.  He  was  a  true  Union 
man,  and  anxiously  desired  to  serve  his  country.  As  before 
stated,  he  was  killed  before  Richmond,  June  30,  1862.  No  one 
in  command  of  a  regiment  of  Massachusetts,  in  so  short  a  time, 
made  himself  more  beloved  by  his  officers  and  men,  or  exhib 
ited  higher  military  qualities,  than  Colonel  Wyman.  He  was  a 
modest,  quiet,  and  reserved  gentleman.  He  possessed  the 
qualities  of  kindness  and  firmness  in  a  high  degree.  He  was  of 
light  frame,  of  middle  age,  had  a  pleasant,  thoughtful  face,  a 
fine-formed  head,  and  a  warm,  generous  heart.  There  is  not  an 
officer  or  soldier  remaining  of  the  original  Sixteenth  Regiment 
who  does  not  speak  of  him  with  an  affectionate  regard,  surpass 
ing  ordinary  respect ;  and  many  have  said,  that,  if  he  had  lived, 
he  would  have  commanded  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  before  the 
close  of  the  war. 

General  Butler  continued  independent  recruiting  until  two 
regiments  of  infantry,  three  companies  of  cavalry,  and  a  com 
pany  of  light  artillery,  were  raised  by  him  in  Massachusetts,  not 
withstanding  the  law  save  to  the  Governor  the  exclusive  riii'ht  to 

O  o  £2 

organize  regiments,  and  to  commission  the  officers.  The  con 
troversy  lasted  four  months.  The  Governor  had  given  General 
Butler  the  Twenty-sixth  and  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiments, 
which  was  the  full  proportion  of  this  State,  for  his  expedition. 
The  troops  raised  by  General  Butler  were  sent  from  the  State 
without  commissioned  officers,  without  rolls  being  deposited  in 
the  Adjutant-General's  office,  and  without  the  knowledge  of  the 
Executive ;  all  of  which  was  against  orders,  good  policy,  and 
statute  law.  In  the  mean  time,  Massachusetts  had  sent  forward 
to  the  front  eight  full  regiments,  besides  many  recruits  for  old 
regiments.  The  Governor  had  written  of  late  frequently  to 
the  War  Department  about  General  Butler's  course,  but  re 
ceived  no  satisfactory  answer.  On  the  21st  of  December,  he 
enclosed  copies  of  the  entire  correspondence  up  to  that  date  to 


27(5  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

our  Senators  in  Congress,  accompanied  by  an  earnest  appeal 
for  them  to  examine  it,  and  afterwards  to  present  it  to  the  Presi 
dent.  He  said,  — 

'•  As  I  do  not  receive  any  reply  from  the  officers  of  the  Federal  Gov 
ernment  whom  I  have  thus  addressed,  nor  any  redress  or  correction  of 
the  evils  of  which  complaint  is  therein  made,  I  am  compelled  thus  to 
resort  to  your  official  intervention.  However  humble  and  unimportant 
might  be  the  person  who  holds  the  place  of  chief  executive  magistrate 
of  Massachusetts,  the  venerable  Commonwealth  which  he  serves  should 
be  treated  with  respect." 

The  letter  refers  to  the  blood  shed  by  the  children  of  this 
Commonwealth  at  Baltimore,  at  Ball's  Bluff,  and  wherever  else 
they  have  been  called  in  arms,  during  the  present  year,  and  to 
the  willingness  the  State  has  always  been  to  bear  her  portion  of 
the  burdens  of  the  war,  and  closes  with  this  paragraph  :  — 

"  I  am  compelled  to  declare,  with  great  reluctance  and  regret, 
that  the  course  of  proceeding  under  Major-General  Butler  in  this 
Commonwealth  seems  to  have  been  designed  and  adapted  simply  to 
afford  means  to  persons  of  bad  character  to  make  money  unscrupu 
lously,  and  to  encourage  men  whose  unfitness  had  excluded  them  from 
any  appointment  by  me  to  the  volunteer  military  service,  to  hope  for 
such  appointment  over  Massachusetts  troops  from  other  authority  than 
that  of  the  Executive  of  Massachusetts." 

To  this  letter  Mr.  Sumner  wrote,  Jan.  10,  1862,  "I  am  au 
thorized  by  the  War  Department  to  say,  that,  if  you  will  send 
on  your  programme  with  reference  to  General  Butler,  it  shall  be 
carried  out,  and  the  department  (of  New  England)  given  up. 
Please  let  me  know  your  desires. 'r  This  was  received  by  the 
Governor  on  the  14th  ;  and  he  immediately  telegraphed,  as  an 
answer,  "The  President  has  my  programme  written,  replying  to 
liis  telegram  of  last  Saturday.  My  letters  should  be  directly, 
and  not  indirectly,  answered  by  the  President  or  Depart 
ment." 

The  result  of  the  controversy  was,  that  the  Department  of 
New  England  was  dissolved.  The  two  regiments  raised  by 
General  Butler,  known  as  the  Eastern  and  Western  Bay-State 
Regiments,  were  afterwards  designated  the  Thirtieth  and  Thirty- 
first  Regiments  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  and  the  officers  were 


CONTROVERSY    WITH    GENERAL   BUTLER.  277 

selected  and  commissioned  by  Governor  Andrew  ;  and,  from  that 
time  until  the  end  of  the  war,  the  War  Department,  under  the 
Secretaryship  of  Mr.  Stanton,  did  its  business  with  the  States 
through  the  Governors  of  States. 

Before  closing  this  subject,  it  is  proper  to  state,  that  Governor 
Andrew,  about  the  beginning  of  November,  authorized  the 
Adjutant-General  to  confer  with  General  Butler  in  regard  to 
organizing  and  equipping  the  Twenty-eighth  (Irish)  Regiment, 
which  had  been  set  apart  as  one  of  the  two  regiments  which  the 
Governor  had  offered  him.  At  that  time,  parts  of  two  Irish 
regiments  had  been  recruiting,  one  of  which  was  designated  the 
Twenty-ninth,  which  was  encamped  at  Framingham.  It  was, 
however,  found  expedient  to  take  the  men  from  Framingham, 
and  mass  them  with  the  Twenty-eighth,  which  was  in  "  Camp 
Cameron,"  at  Cambridge.  On  the  7th  of  November,  after  the 
consolidation,  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  had  seven  hundred 
and  fifteen  men.  On  that  day,  the  Adjutant-General  addressed 
a  letter  to  Major-General  Butler,  by  direction  of  the  Governor, 
calling  his  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  men  had  not  been 
armed,  uniformed,  or  equipped,  which  General  Butler  had  in 
formed  the  Governor  he  had  authority  from  Washington  to  do. 
The  regiment  had  received  "  no  aid  or  attention  "  whatever,  from 
his  head- quarters.  The  Governor,  therefore,  wished  to  be  in 
formed  immediately  whether  he  considered  the  regiment  as  part 
of  his  command,  or  whether  he  did  not  wish  to  have  it. 

To  which  an  answer  was  made,  the  same  day,  by  Major 
Strong,  that,  as  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  had  been  thus  far 
recruited  by  the  State,  it  would  be  continued  to  be  recruited  by 
the  State ;  but  General  Butler  would  take  it  as  part  of  his 
command,  if  it  could  be  ready  by  the  1st  of  December,  and 
would  add  some  recruits  to  complete  it,  if  he  could  be  permitted 
to  indicate  the  officers  who  should  command  the  men  they  had 
recruited.  This  being  permitted,  General  Butler  would  at  once 
"arm,  uniform,  and  equip  the  regiment,  as  his  authority  re 
quires  him  to  '  organize  '  as  well ;  but  he  will  ask  only  an  advisory 
power  in  the  organization." 

The  Adjutant-General  had  a  personal  interview  with  Major 
Strong  on  the  9th,  in  which  the  whole  matter  was  talked  over. 


278  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

There  were,  at  that  time,  fifteen  parts  of  companies  at  "  Camp 
Cameron."  After  the  personal  conference  with  Major  Strong, 
and  on  the  same  day,  the  Adjutant-General  wrote  to  Major 
Strong,  in  which  he  referred  to  the  personal  interview,  and 
said,  — 

"  There  are  fifteen  companies  and  parts  of  companies  at  '  Camp 
Cameron.'  I  propose  to  make  ten  companies  of  them,  and  fill  up  the 
ranks  of  each  to  the  maximum  standard ;  and  I  wish  to  know  if  Gene 
ral  Butler  will  furnish  men  for  the  purpose.  If  you  prefer,  I  will  mass 
the  men  into  eight  companies,  and  then  have  two  full  companies  sent 
from  '  Camp  Chase '  (Butler's  camp)  to  complete  the  regiment.  Gene 
ral  Butler  can  advise  in  regard  to  the  officers.  It  is  important  that  the 
regiment  be  filled  immediately,  and  properly  officered.  I  am  author 
ized  to  adjust  all  matters  relating  to  the  regiment  with  General  Butler 
and  yourself.  ...  I  will,  if  you  desire  it,  make  out  a  complete  roster ; 
and  you  can  lay  it  before  General  Butler  for  examination  and  approval. 
I  would  be  glad  to  have  him  name  persons  whom  he  would  like  to  have 
appointed,  if  he  has  any  in  his  mind.  His  Excellency  will  leave  for 
New  York  on  Monday  evening.  I  wish  to  have  these  matters  definitely 
settled,  if  possible,  before  he  leaves." 

Nov.  11.  —  Major  Strong  wrote,  in  answer,  that  — 

"  It  will  be  quite  satisfactory  to  make  the  arrangement  proposed,  — 
viz.,  to  make  eight  companies  of  the  fifteen  skeleton  companies  you  men 
tion,  and  to  add  two  companies  from  '  Camp  Chase'  as  soon  as  they  are 
full,  with  the  list  of  officers  accompanying  them,  to  be  designated  by 
General  Butler,  —  this  to  be  upon  the  understanding,  that  the  Twenty- 
eighth  Regiment  is  to  be  a  part  of  the  expeditionary  corps  soon  to  sail, 
and  not  a  portion  of  the  troops  to  be  raised  by  General  Butler,  under 
order  of  Sept.  10,  1861 ;  General  Butler  desiring  to  fill  up  the  regiments 
destined  for  this  purpose  as  soon  as  possible,  besides  those  he  is  re 
cruiting." 

Major  Strong  further  stated,  that  two  regiments  and  two  bat 
teries  "will  sail  the  coming  week;"  also,  that  the  "arrange 
ment  in  regard  to  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  is  designed  to  be 
made  wholly  independently  of  the  unhappy  and  unfortunate 
difference  of  opinion  which  has  arisen  between  His  Excellency 
the  Governor  and  General  Butler  (which  the  latter  much  re 
grets),  upon  the  right  of  recruitment,  on  the  part  of  the  United 
States  Government,  in  Massachusetts."  He  also  said,  that 


CONTROVERSY   WITH    GENERAL    BUTLER.  279 

"  General  Butler  would  be  happy  to  examine  the  roster,  as  pro 
posed  ; "  and,  if  not  satisfactory,  he  would  send  other  recom 
mendations,  as  requested. 

The  letter  was  received  by  the  Adjutant-General  on  the  day 
on  which  it  was  written :  and  he  returned  his  answer  on  the 
same  day,  as  follows  :  — 

"  Yours  of  date  is  received,  in  relation  to  the  Twenty-eighth  Regi 
ment.  The  fact  which  I  wish  to  ascertain  is  this  :  Will  General  Butler 
accept  of  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  ?  In  your  letter,  he  accepts  it, 
with  the  following  stipulation :  '  On  the  express  understanding,  that  the 
Twenty-eighth  Regiment  is  to  be  a  part  of  the  expeditionary  corps  soon 
to  sail,  and  not  a  portion  of  the  troops  to  be  raised  by  General  Butler, 
under  order  of  Sept.  10,  1861.'  This  acceptance  is  not  satisfactory. 
If  General  Butler  accepts  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment  for  his  di 
vision,  it  must  be  as  one  of  the  two  regiments  raised  by  Massachusetts 
as  her  quota  of  the  six  which  were  to  be  raised  for  his  division  in  New 
England ;  and  I  wish  to  be  informed,  as  soon  as  possible,  whether  Gene 
ral  Butler  will  accept  of  the  Twenty-eighth,  with  this  understanding. 
The  other  propositions  in  your  letter  are  satisfactory." 

To  this,  Joseph  M.  Bell,  Esq.,  acting  aide-de-camp  to  Gene 
ral  Butler,  made  immediate  answer  Nov.  11, — 

"  If  the  Governor  will  authorize  two  regiments  —  the  Twenty-eighth 
and  Twenty-ninth  —  to  be  organized  by  General  Butler,  with  a  veto 
power  upon  General  Butler's  selection  of  improper  persons  as  officers, 
General  Butler  will  accept  the  Twenty-eighth  as  one  of  them.  This 
in  answer  to  a  communication  of  to-day  to  the  Assistant  Adjutant- 
General,  who  is  absent." 

The  following  note  closed  the  correspondence  :  — 

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  BOSTON,  Nov.  11,  1861. 
To  JOSEPH  M.  BELL,  Esq.,  acting  Aide-de-camp  to  Major-General  Butler. 

SIR,  —  Your  letter  of  this  date  has  been  received.  The  proposition 
is  respectfully  declined. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant- General 

The  Twenty-eighth  Kegiment  consequently  never  became  a 
part  of  Major-General  Butler's  command.  When  organized,  it 
was  sent  to  South  Carolina,  and  was  subsequently  transferred 
to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 


280  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

In  the  foregoing  pages,  we  have  endeavored  to  give  an  impar 
tial  transcript  of  the  correspondence  between  the  Governor  and 
General  Butler,  and  of  the  other  parties  who  incidentally  took 
part  in  it.  The  original  trouble  grew  out  of  the  unauthorized 
interference  by  Secretary  Cameron  with  recruiting  in  Massachu 
setts,  by  giving  special  permits  to  outside  parties  to  recruit  regi 
ments  here.  No  one  had  this  right  but  the  Governor  of  the 
State  ;  no  one  had  the  right  to  appoint  or  to  commission  offi 
cers  but  the  Governor.  Upon  him,  and  upon  him  alone,  rested 
the  responsibility  of  selecting  proper  officers  to  command  our 
men.  It  was  a  responsibility  which  Governor  Andrew  had  no 
right,  and  no  wish,  to  avoid.  The  wisdom  of  having  the  entire 
control  of  raising,  forming,  and  officering  regiments  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  Governors  of  States,  must  be  apparent  to  every 
person  who  will  give  the  subject  a  moment's  consideration. 
They  alone  were  responsible  for  their  acts  to  the  people  of 
their  several  Commonwealths.  To  recruit  men  to  meet  the 
several  calls  of  the  President  required  in  each  State  a  well- 
arranged  plan  of  operations,  with  a  single  will  to  guide  and 
control  it.  It  admitted  of  no  interference  by  outside  parties. 
There  could  be  no  State  within  a  State.  The  Governor  was  the 
supreme  executive  officer  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  there 
could  be  "no  co-ordinate"  power  within  its  limits.  He  could 
not  divide  the  responsibilities  of  his  position  with  another,  how 
ever  honorable  or  distinguished,  any  more  than  he  could  divide 
the  honors  of  his  high  office  with  another. 

Whenever  the  State  authority  was  interfered  with  by  the  Sec 
retary  of  War,  or  by  parties  pretending  to  act  under  his  orders, 
independent  of  the  Governor  of  the  State,  confusion  and  strife 
ensued  ;  out  of  these  attempts  grew  embarrassing  and  contra 
dictory  orders,  the  evil  of  which  is  illustrated  vividly  in  this 
correspondence.  By  interference,  General  Sherman  lost  his 
original  expeditionary  command,  and  Massachusetts  the  honor 
of  contributing  her  part  of  the  contingent  to  complete  it.  By 
interfering  with  the  plans  of  the  Governor,  and  his  clearly 
established  rights  and  responsibilities  under  the  laws,  the  or 
ganization  and  completion  of  regiments  were  delayed.  It  inter 
posed  obstacles  by  interposing  a  pretended  divided  authority 


CONTROVERSY    WITH    GENERAL   BUTLER.  281 

in  the  State.  In  the  case  of  General  Butler,  whatever  may  be 
thought  of  his  original  authority  to  recruit  six  regiments  of 
infantry  in  New  England,  it  is  clear  that  it  was  modified,  and 
made  to  conform  to  the  law  of  Congress,  by  subsequent  orders  of 
the  War  Department,  — that  he  was  to  report  to  the  Governor, 
and  the  regiments,  so  far  as  Massachusetts  was  concerned  in 
raising  them,  were  to  be  raised,  organized,  and  officered  as  the 
Governor  should  direct.  Two  regiments  were  a  liberal  por 
tion  for  Massachusetts  to  raise  of  the  six  authorized  to  be  raised 
for  his  command.  The  Governor  promised  the  President 
and  Secretary  of  War  to  aid  in  their  completion  to  the  ex 
tent  of  his  ability  ;  but,  having  given  his  promise  first  to  Gen 
eral  Sherman  to  furnish  certain  regiments  for  him,  he  asked 
that  his  promise  to  General  Sherman  should  be  fulfilled  before 
undertaking  to  recruit  new  regiments  for  General  Butler.  In 
part  fulfilment  of  this  qualified  promise,  however,  he  designated 
the  Twenty-sixth  Regiment,  then  nearly  completed,  and  the 
Twenty-eighth  Regiment,  when  completed,  to  form  the  con 
tingent  of  Massachusetts  for  General  Butler's  command.  Not 
withstanding  this,  General  Butler  proceeded  to  recruit  two  new 
regiments  of  infantry,  three  new  companies  of  cavalry,  and  one 
new  company  of  artillery,  in  this  State.  He  established  a  camp 
in  Lowell,  and  another  in  Pittsfield.  He  promised  persons 
commissions,  which  no  one  could  issue  but  the  Governor ;  he 
appointed  recruiting  officers,  and  enlisted  men,  and,  in  so  doing, 
wholly  ignored  the  act  of  Congress,  and  the  orders  and  au 
thority  of  the  Governor.  The  Governor  had  either  to  succumb 
or  resist ;  to  sink  the  Commander-in-chief  of  the  State  and 
become  a  mere  recruiting  officer,  to  issue  commissions  to  men 
whom  he  did  not  know  or  respect,  or  to  sustain  the  whole  dig 
nity  of  his  position  as  a  magistrate,  and  his  honor  as  a  gentle 
man. 

Those  who  knew  Governor  Andrew  can  feel  no  doubt  as  to 
the  course  he  would  pursue  in  such  an  exigency.  Without 
any  of  the  pride  which  mere  place  sometimes  gives,  without  any 
of  the  arrogance  which  power  sometimes  nourishes,  without 
desire  of  self-aggrandizement  or  unmerited  personal  favor,  with 
an  entire  absence  of  that  "  insolence  of  office  "  which  weak  men 


282  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    EEBELLION. 

often  show,  he  was  at  the  same  time  the  proudest,  the  firmest, 
the  most  determined  enemy  of  any  thing  like  mere  pretension, 
come  from  whatever  source  it  might.  He  never 'took  a  posi 
tion  which  he  had  not  first  well  considered  ;  and,  when  his  position 
was  taken,  nothing  but  a  clear  conviction  that  he  was  wrong 
could  make  him  change  from  it.  Though  no  man  cared  less  for 
power  than  he  did,  no  man  was  more  conscientious  and  scrupu 
lous  in  the  exercise  of  it.  His  authority  as  Governor  he  re 
garded  as  delegated  to  him  by  the  people.  He  held  it  in  trust, 
to  be  exercised  for  their  benefit,  and  to  be  trampled  upon  by  no 
man.  Hence,  what  may  have  appeared  to  some  who  have  read 
this  correspondence  as  matters  of  no  moment,  and  which  might 
have  been  passed  by  without  objection,  the  Governor  viewed 
as  an  indignity  to  the  office  he  filled,  involving  principles  which 
could  neither  be  compromised  with  honor,  nor  ignored  with 
silence.  By  pursuing  this  firm  and  steady  course,  he  was  en 
abled  in  the  end  to  preserve  inviolate  the  rights  of  the  State, 
the  dignity  of  its  chief  officer,  and  the  demands  of  public  justice. 
It  was  these  traits  of  character  which  made  him  honored  and 
respected  while  living,  and  caused  him  to  be  mourned  for  when 
dead,  even  as  the  children  of  Israel,  when  bondmen  in  a  strange 
land,  mourned  their  captivity,  and  hung  their  harps  upon  the 
willows  which  grew  by  the  waters  of  Babylon. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

The  Campaign  of  1862  — Meeting  of  the  Legislature  —  Ex-Governor  Clifford 
elected  President  of  the  Senate  —  His  Speech  —  Alexander  H.  Bullock  elected 
Speaker  of  the  House  —  Speech  of  Mr.  Bullock — Of  Caleb  Cushing  — Pro 
ceedings  of  the  Legislature  —  Abstracts  of  Military  Laws  passed  —  Massa 
chusetts  Prisoners  in  Richmond  —  Clothing  sent  — Letter  from  Adjutant 
Pierson  —  Expedition  of  General  Burnside — Capture  of  Roanoke  Island  — 
Massachusetts  Troops  first  to  land  —  Care  of  the  Sick  and  Wounded  —  Dr. 
Hitchcock  sent  on  —  The  Wounded  in  New  York— Colonel  Frank  E. 
Howe  —  Establishment  of  the  New-England  Rooms  —  Care  of  the  Sick  and 
Wounded  —  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  —  The  Wounded  at  Williamsburg  — 
Letters  of  Colonel  Howe  —  Every  Assistance  given  —  The  Agencies  of  the 
State  for  the  Care  of  the  Men  —  The  Office  in  Washington  —  Colonel  Gardiner 
Tufts,  Mrs.  Jennie  L.  Thomas,  Robert  C.  Carson,  William  Robinson,  appointed 
Agents  —  Visits  of  the  Adjutant-General,  Colonel  Ritchie,  and  Colonel  John 
Q.  Adams,  to  the  Front  —  Report  to  the  Governor — The  Appearance  of 
Washington  —  Reports  of  Edward  S.  Rand  and  Dr.  Bowditch  —  First  Massa 
chusetts  Cavalry  at  Hilton  Head  —  Our  Troops  in  North  Carolina  —  Appoint 
ment  of  Allotment  Commissioners  —  Their  Valuable  Services  —  Letters  of 
the  Governor  —  Rule  for  making  Appointments  —  Illegal  Recruiting  —  Colonel 
Dudley  —  Thirtieth  Regiment — Captured  Rebel  Flags  —  Death  and  Burial 
of  General  Lander  —  Letters  of  Governor  to  Secretary  of  War — Secretary 
of  the  Navy — To  the  President  on  Various  Subjects  —  Letter  to  General 
Burnside  —  Secretary  Chase  —  The  Retreat  of  General  Banks  —  Great  Excite 
ment  —  Troops  sent  forward  —  Militia  called  out  —  The  Position  of  our  Regi 
ments  —  The  War  in  Earnest. 

AT  the  close  of  the  year  1861  and  the  beginning  of  1862, 
Massachusetts  had  filled  every  demand  made  upon  her  for  troops, 
and  most  of  them  had  been  sent  to  the  front.  The  Twenty- 
eighth,  Thirtieth,  and  Thirty-first  Regiments,  nearly  recruited 
to  the  maximum,  were  yet  in  camp  ;  but  they  were  sent  forward 
in  January  and  February,  1862.  Massachusetts  regiments  and 
batteries  were  in  front  of  Washington  and  at  Fortress  Monroe ; 
five  regiments  were  at  Annapolis,  ready  to  embark  in  General 
Burnside's  expedition  against  North  Carolina.  One  regiment 
and  a  battery  were  at  Ship  Island,  in  Mississippi,  waiting  orders 
from  General  Butler.  In  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  we  were 


284  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

the  strongest.  Gunboats  officered  and  manned  by  Massachu 
setts  men  kept  watch  and  ward  on  the  Southern  coast,  or  carried 
the  flag  upon  far-off  seas.  Officers  remained  here  on  recruiting 
service  ;  and  enlistments  were  made  to  complete  new  regiments, 
and  to  fill  the  depleted  ranks  of  those  at  the  seat  of  war. 
Wounded  officers  and  soldiers  were  at  home  on  furlough  or  dis 
charged  for  disability.  The  "empty  sleeve"  was  seen  daily  in 
our  streets  ;  and  maimed  veterans  hobbled  up  the  steps  of  the 
State  House  on  crutches,  on  their  return  from  distant  hospitals, 
to  show  their  honorable  discharge  papers,  and  tell  in  modest 
words  of  their  toils  and  dangers. 

The  Legislature  met  at  the  State  House,  on  Wednesday, 
Jan.  1,  1862.  Hon.  John  H.  Clifford,  of  New  Bedford,  for 
merly  Governor  of  the  State,  was  chosen  President  of  the  Senate, 
and  Stephen  N.  Gilford,  clerk.  On  taking  the  chair,  Mr. 
Clifford  referred  to  the  present  state  of  the  country,  to  the  war 
which  existed,  and  to  the  duties  which  were  imposed  upon  the 
Legislature.  They  were  then  in  a  new  and  untried  exigency  of 
public  affairs,  and  subject  to  the  solemn  and  momentous  re 
sponsibilities  which  attach  themselves  to  every  position  of  public 
trust. 

"  We  should  fail,  I  am  sure,  to  reflect  the  prevailing  sentiment  of 
the  people  of  Massachusetts,  and  show  ourselves  unworthy  the  gen 
erous  confidence  of  our  respective  constituents,  if  we  could  permit  a 
word  of  party  strife  to  be  uttered  within  these  walls.  Whatever  may 
be  his  professions,  he  is  no  true  patriot,  who,  in  this  season  of  his  coun 
try's  peril,  cannot  rise  to  such  a  height  as  to  lose  sight  of  all  those  lines 
of  political  difference,  which,  in  more  peaceful  and  prosperous  times, 
have  divided  the  people  of  the  Commonwealth,  or  who  is  not  ready  to 
sacrifice  every  thing  but  principle  to  make  and  keep  them  a  united 
people.  Already  have  the  gallant  sons  of  Massachusetts,  native  and 
adopted,  of  every  class  and  condition,  and  holding  every  variety  of 
opinion  upon  controverted  questions  of  policy  and  principle,  marched 
as  a  band  of  brothers  to  the  field  to  uphold  the  common  flag,  or  to  fall 
in  its  defence." 

Hon.  Caleb  Gushing,  of  Newburyport,  senior  member,  called 
the  House  to  order ;  in  doing  which,  he  made  a  short  address, 
and  referred  to  his  services  as  a  member  in  years  that  were  past, 
and  said,  — 


THE    LEGISLATURE    OF   1862.  285 

"  At  other  times,  the  wordy  warfare  of  party,  the  strifes  of  faction 
might  be  tolerated  and  endured,  if  not  encouraged  and  applauded. 
Such  is  not  the  present  hour.  Higher  and  greater  thoughts  occupy  us 
now.  I  confidently  believe  that  you,  gentlemen,  will  prove  your 
selves  equal  to  the  emergency  ;  that  you  will  rise  to  the  height  of 
your  duties  ;  and  that,  taking  the  Constitution  for  your  loadstar  anji 
your  guide  through  the  troubles  of  the  times,  you  will  dedicate  your 
selves  to  the  single  object  of  contributing,  with  heart  and  soul,  to 
uphold,  to  re-establish,  and  to  perpetuate  our  sacred  and  beloved 
Union.  That  we  resolve  and  determine  to  do,  with  the  good  help 
of  God." 

The  House  then  made  choice  of  Hon.  Alexander  H.  Bullock, 
of  Worcester,  Speaker  of  the  House  :  he  received  every  vote 
cast.  William  S.  Eobinson,  of  Maiden,  was  elected  clerk.  On 
taking  the  chair,  Mr.  Bullock  also  referred  to  the  existing  war, 
and  to  the  duty  of  Massachusetts  in  regard  thereto. 

"  More  than  thirty  thousand  of  the  men  of  Massachusetts  are  at  this 
moment  far  from  home,  in  arms,  to  preserve  the  public  liberties  along 
the  Upper  and  Lower  Potomac,  among  the  islands  and  deltas  of  the 
Gulf,  or  wherever  else  they  have  been  called  to  follow  that  imperilled 
but  still  radiant  flag." 

He  closed  with  these  words  :  "  In  the  service  of  the  State  at 
all  times,  but  especially  at  the  present,  the  least  of  duties  is  a 
part  of  the  impressive  whole." 

On  Friday,  Jan.  3,  the  two  branches  met  in  convention  to 
administer  the  oath  of  office  to  the  Governor  and  Lieutenant- 
Governor  elect,  and  to  listen  to  the  annual  address. 

The  Governor,  in  his  address,  made  a  broad  survey  of  the 
military  field  of  observation,  and  the  part  which  Massachusetts 
had  taken  in  the  war  during  the  year  preceding.  The  amount  of 
money  expended  by  the  State,  for  war  purposes,  was  $3,384,- 
649.88,  of  which  there  had  been  reimbursed,  by  the  United 
States,  the  sum  of  $987,263.54;  leaving  an  unpaid  balance  of 
about  $2,500,000.  This  was  exclusive  of  the  amount  paid  by 
the  several  cities  and  towns  of  the  Commonwealth  for  the  sup 
port  of  the  families  of  soldiers,  under  the  act  passed  at  the  extra 
session  of  1861,  which  amounted,  in  the  aggregate,  to  about 
$250,000,  which  was  to  be  reimbursed  from  the  treasury  of 


28 G  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

the  State,  and  raised  by  direct  taxation  upon  the  property  in 
the  Commonwealth.  Upwards  of  half  a  million  of  dollars  had 
been  expended  in  the  purchase  of  Enfield  rifles,  and  about 
twenty-four  thousand  dollars  for  English  infantry  equipments. 
Five  thousand  more  Enfield  rifles  had  been  contracted  for  in 
England  ;  but  the  English  Government  had  placed  an  interdict 
against  the  export  of  arms  and  munitions  of  war  to  this  country, 
which  prevented,  for  a  time,  the  completion  of  the  contract. 
The  Governor  also  referred,  at  considerable  length,  to  the  coast 
defences  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  exertions  which  he  had  made 
to  have  them  placed  in  proper  condition. 

Xext  to  the  harbor  defences  of  Boston  in  importance  was  the 
harbor  of  Provincetown,  at  the  end  of  Cape  Cod,  which  was 
accessible  in  all  weathers  without  a  pilot,  with  excellent  an 
chorage,  in  which  whole  navies  might  ride  in  safety.  It  was 
best  adapted  to  be  the  base  of  naval  operations.  It  was  utterly 
undefended,  and  could  easily  be  taken  from  us  by  the  enemy. 
The  Governor,  in  referring  to  other  matters,  not  of  a  military 
character,  speaks  of  the  national  cause  ;  and  as  the  result  of 
the  war,  which  is  but  the  revolt  of  slavery,  he  regards  its  ulti 
mate  extinction  as  inevitable.  "Yet  I  mean,  as  I  have  done 
since  the  beginning  of  secession,  to  continue  to  school  myself 
to  silence  ;  nor  can  I  suspect  that  my  opinions  can  be  miscon 
ceived  ;  nor  do  I  believe  that  the  faith  of  Massachusetts  can  be 
mistaken  or  misinterpreted." 

The  only  question  which  he  could  entertain  is  what  to  do, 
and,  when  that  was  answered,  is  what  next  to  do;  "for  by 
deeds,  and  not  by  words,  is  this  people  to  accomplish  their  salva 
tion."  The  great  rebellion  was  to  be  put  down,  and  its  pro 
moters  crushed  beneath  the  ruins  of  their  own  ambition  ;  and 
now,  he  says,  — 

"  When  the  beauty  of  their  Israel  has  been  slain  in  our  high  places, 
and  when  her  Lee  and  Revere,  Rockwood  and  Bowman,  lie  in  felon's 
cells,  and  hundreds  of  her  sons  wear  out  their  hearts  in  sad  captivity, 
—  victims  of  their  valor,  and  devotion  to  our  Union,  —  one  irre 
pressible  impulse  moves  our  people,  and  inspires  our  people  in  the  field  ; 
one  prayer  to  see  the  day  when  an  army  of  loyal  Americans  shall 
hammer  at  the  doors  of  their  prison-houses,  and  with  both  hands 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    THE    LEGISLATURE.  287 

pledged  to  the  solemn  task  of  war,  and  with  neither  hand  averted  to 
uphold  the  institution  which  is  the  cause  of  all  this  woe ;  and  that  their 
bow  shall  not  turn  back,  and  their  sword  return  not  empty,  until  their 
grand  deliverance  shall  be  completed." 

He  speaks  in  fitting  words  of  praise  of  the  action  of  the  Legis 
lature  of  Maryland,  in  appropriating  money  to  relieve  the 
suffering  condition  of  the  widows  and  orphans  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  men  killed  by  the  mob  in  Baltimore  on  the  19th  day 
of  April,  and  calls  it  r?  an  oasis  in  all  the  resentment  of  the 
hour."  The  address  concludes  as  follows:  "Inspired  by  trust 
in  God,  an  immortal  hate  of  wrong,  let  us  consecrate  to-day 
every  personal  aspiration,  every  private  hope,  in  one  united 
apostrophe  to  our  country  and  her  cause,  —  r  Where  thou  goest, 
I  will  go ;  and  where  tbou  lodgest,  I  will  lodge  ;  thy  people 
shall  be  my  people,  and  thy  God  my  God  :  where  thou  diest 
will  I  die,  and  there  will  I  be  buried.'" 

The  Governor  the  same  day  transmitted  to  the  Legislature  a 
letter  from  Secretary  Seward,  urging  that  expenditures  be 
made  by  the  State  for  the  defence  of  its  coast,  which  he  had 
no  doubt  that  Congress  would  sanction  and  reimburse ;  also, 
a  letter,  dated  Dec.  20,  from  Brigadier-General  Joseph  C. 
Totten,  Engineer  Department,  L^.S. A.,  giving  a  detailed  state 
ment  of  the  different  surveys  made  in  time  past  of  the  defences 
on  the  coast  of  Massachusetts  ;  also,  a  letter  addressed  to  His 
Excellency  by  Colonel  Ritchie,  of  his  personal  staff,  upon  popu 
lar  military  instruction,  in  which  a  review  was  given  of  the  dif 
ferent  systems  in  Europe,  and  recommending  that  military  art 
be  encouraged  and  taught  in  some  of  our  public  schools,  and 
higher  seminaries  of  learning. 

Jan.  6.  In  the  House.  —  Mr.  Gushing,  of  Newburyport, 
introduced  an  order  that  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  con 
sider  the  expediency  of  making  provision  for  the  families  of 
citizens  of  the  State  engaged  in  the  naval  service  of  the  Linked 
States  during  the  existing  war,  similar  to  that  made  for  those  in 
the  land  service.  The  order  was  referred. 

Jan.  7.  In  the  House. — On  motion  of  Mr.  Maglathlin, 
of  Duxbury,  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  were  instructed  to 
consider  the  expediency  of  the  State  paying  the  expenditures 


288  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

made  by  the  cities   and  towns  of  the  Commonwealth  for  uni 
forming  and  drilling  volunteers  during  the  present  war. 

Mr.  Heard,  of  Clinton,  offered  an  order,  which  was  referred 
to  the  Committee  on  Federal  Relations,  that  the  Governor  be 
requested  to  communicate  with  the  President  of  the  United 
States  in  regard  to  obtaining  the  release  of  Colonel  Lee  and 
Major  Revere  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  and  of  Captains 
Rockwood  and  Bowman  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment,  who  are 
confined  as  hostages,  in  a  felon's  cell  in  Richmond,  for  cap 
tured  rebel  privateersmen. 

Jan.  8.  In  the  Senate. — Mr.  Stockwell,  of  Suffolk, 
from  the  Committee  on  Printing,  reported  in  favor  of  printing 
two  thousand  extra  copies  of  the  Adjutant-General's  Report. 

In  the  House. — Mr.  Brown,  of  Taunton,  introduced  an 
order  directing  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  to  consider  the 
expediency  of  amending  the  law  of  1861,  so  that  each  city 
and  town  shall  provide  for  the  support  of  persons  who  may  be 
dependent  on  volunteers  of  this  State  mustered  into  the  United- 
States  service,  and  that  each  city  and  town  shall  be  reimbursed 
from  the  State  treasury  for  the  money  so  expended. 

Jan.  9.  In  the  House. — On  motion  of  Mr.  Stanwood, 
of  Essex,  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  were  instructed  to 
report  an  amendment  to  the  State-aid  law,  so  as  to  extend  its 
provisions  to  the  families  of  Massachusetts  soldiers  who  have 
enlisted  in  regiments  belonging  to  other  States. 

Jan.  10.  In  the  House. — Mr.  Carver,  of  Newburyport, 
introduced  an  order  instructing  the  Committee  on  the  Mi 
litia  to  inquire  what  amount  of  money  was  paid  to  the  three 
months'  volunteers,  while  in  the  service  of  the  State  and  before 
being  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  and  what 
amount  may  now  be  due  them  for  commutation  pay. 

Jan.  13.  In  the  Senate. — A  bill  was  reported  from  the 
Committee  on  the  Militia,  granting  State  aid  to  the  families 
of  the  volunteers  in  the  regiments  raised  in  this  State  by 
General  Butler.  An  attempt  was  made  to  suspend  the  rules 
and  pass  the  bill  through  its  several  readings,  but  did  not 
prevail. 

In  the  House.  — On  motion  of  Mr.  Davis,  of  Plymouth,  it 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    THE    LEGISLATURE.  289 

was  ordered,  that  the  Governor  be  requested  to  communicate  to 
the  House  the  correspondence  relating  to  the  recruiting  of 
troops  in  this  Commonwealth  by  General  Butler. 

Jan.  14.  In  the  Senate.  —  The  bill  to  give  aid  to  the 
families  of  volunteers  recruited  in  this  State  by  General  Butler 
was  passed  to  be  engrossed. 

In  the  House.  —  Mr.  Roberts,  of  Lakeville,  offered  an 
order,  directing  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  to  consider  the 
expediency  of  making  certain  amendments  to  the  State-aid  law 
of  1861. 

The  Senate  bill  to  give  aid  to  families,  &c.,  was  passed 
through  its  various  stages,  under  a  suspension  of  the  rules. 

Jan.  17.  In  the  Senate.  —  On  motion  of  Mr.  Northend, 
of  Essex,  the  Committee  on  Printing  were  directed  to  con 
sider  the  expediency  of  printing  three  thousand  extra  copies 
of  the  Adjutant-General's  Report,  in  addition  to  those  already 
ordered. 

In  the  House.  —  On  motion  of  Mr.  Manning,  of  Reading,  it 
was  ordered,  that  the  Committee  on  the  Militia  consider  the 
expediency  of  amending  the  militia  law,  so  as  to  make  all  the 
enrolled  militia  do  military  duty. 

Jan.  20.  In  the  House.  —  On  motion  of  Mr.  Pierce,  of 
Dorchester,  it  was  ordered,  that  the  Committee  on  the  Militia 
inquire  whether  the  blankets,  which  were  contributed  by  the 
people  of  the  State  to  relieve  the  necessities  of  the  volunteers 
in  the  service,  were  delivered  to  the  soldiers  as  gifts,  or  were 
charged  to  them  at  the  market  price. 

Mr.  Chandler,  of  Boston,  moved  that  the  same  committee 
consider  the  expediency  of  authorizing  the  Governor  to  enter 
into  contracts  immediately  for  the  manufacture  of  heavy  ord 
nance  for  the  coast  defences  of  Massachusetts,  and  also  for 
instituting  a  camp  of  instruction  for  artillery. 

Jan.  23.  In  the  Senate.  —  A  message  was  received  from 
the  Governor,  returning  the  bill  to  grant  State  aid  to  the 
families  of  volunteers  recruited  by  General  Butler,  with  his 
reasons  for  not  signing  it.  The  Governor  was  in  favor  of 
granting  the  aid  as  contemplated ;  but  the  bill  was  imperfectly 

19 


290  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

drawn.  He  pointed  out  the  errors  which  it  contained.  The 
message  was  laid  upon  the  table. 

In  the  House. — Mr.  Burbank,  of  Boston,  from  the  Com 
mittee  on  the  Militia,  reported  that  the  troops  in  the  three 
months'  service  had  been  paid  by  the  Commonwealth,  from  the 
time  of  being  ordered  out  by  the  Governor  until  mustered  into 
the  United-States  service,  $9,580.63.  There  was  nothing  more 
due  them,  and  nothing  more  had  been  claimed  by  them. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  the  Committee  on 
the  Militia  was  requested  to  consider  the  expediency  of  requiring 
the  State  Treasurer,  or  some  suitable  person,  to  act  as  allotment 
commissioner  for  such  sums  as  the  soldiers  in  the  field  may  allot 
of  their  pay  for  themselves  or  families. 

Jan.  30.  In  the  House. — A  message  was  received  from 
the  Governor,  calling  the  attention  of  the  Legislature  to  the 
illegal  enlistment  of  men  in  Massachusetts  by  persons  coming 
from  other  States.  Laid  on  the  table,  and  ordered  to  be 
printed. 

Jan.  31.  In  the  House. — Mr.  Pierce,  of  Dorchester,  re 
ported  a  resolve  appropriating  $500,000  for  the  manufacture  of 
ordnance  for  coast  defences. 

Feb.  3.  In  the  House. — The  above  resolve  was  debated, 
and  passed  to  a  third  reading  by  a  unanimous  vote. 

Feb.  7. — Mr.  Burbank,  of  Boston,  from  the  Committee  on 
the  Militia,  reported  a  bill  concerning  the  custody  and  distribu 
tion  of  funds  of  the  Massachusetts  volunteers. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Curtis,  of  Roxbury,  it  was  ordered,  that 
the  Committee  on  the  Militia  be  authorized  to  send  for  persons 
and  papers  on  the  matter  of  blankets  and  other  articles  contrib 
uted  for  the  use  of  the  soldiers. 

Feb.  11.  In  the  Senate. — The  veto  message  of  the  Gov 
ernor,  of  the  bill  granting  State  aid  to  the  families  of  volunteers 
recruited  by  General  Butler,  came  up  by  assignment.  The 
Governor  had  informed  the  Militia  Committee,  that,  since  the 
message  was  sent  in,  the  Secretary  of  War  had  placed  these 
troops  to  the  credit  of  Massachusetts,  and  under  the  authority 
of  the  Governor,  the  same  as  other  regiments  ;  and  therefore  no 
further  legislation  was  necessary,  as  they  would  come  within  the 


PROCEEDINGS    OF    THE    LEGISLATURE.  '    291 

provision  of  the  law  of  1861.     The  whole  subject  was  then  laid 
upon  the  table. 

Feb.  15.  In  the  Senate. — Mr.  Thompson,  of  Hampden, 
from  the  Committee  on  the  Militia,  submitted  a  report  upon  all 
the  orders  which  had  been  referred  to  them  concerning  State 
aid  to  soldiers'  families.  The  report  was  accompanied  by  a  bill, 
which  provided  that  State  aid  should  be  paid  to  the  families  of 
Massachusetts  soldiers  who  were  in  the  New-York  regiments, 
and  whose  families  resided  in  this  State.  It  also  provided  that 
the  same  should  be  paid  to  the  families  of  Massachusetts  men 
who  should  thereafter  enlist  in  the  navy. 

Feb.  20.  In  the  House.  — Mr.  Chandler,  of  Boston,  from 
the  Committee  on  Federal  Relations,  to  whom  was  referred  the 
resolve  requesting  the  Governor  to  communicate  with  the  Pres 
ident  in  favor  of  an  exchange  of  prisoners,  recommended  that  the 
resolve  ought  to  pass.  Mr.  Chandler  made  a  long  and  able 
report  in  favor  of  the  object  sought  for  in  the  resolve,  which  was 
ordered  to  be  printed. 

Feb.  26.  In  the  Senate.  — A  long  debate  ensued  upon  the 
bill  granting  State  aid  to  families  of  volunteers.  That  part  of 
it  relating  to  families  of  men  in  the  navy  was  stricken  out. 
Pending  the  consideration  of  other  amendments,  the  Senate 
adjourned. 

March  1.  In  the  Senate. — The  bill  concerning  State  aid, 
&c.,  was  amended,  and  passed  to  be  engrossed. 

March  3.  In  the  Senate.  —  Mr.  Northend,  of  Essex,  an 
nounced  the  death  of  Brigadier-General  Frederick  W.  Lander, 
and  delivered  a  short  but  touching  eulogy  upon  his  life  and 
character.  He  also  introduced  a  joint  resolution  in  honor  of  the 
deceased,  which  was  passed  unanimously. 

March  5.  In  the  House. — A  message  was  received  from 
the  Governor  concerning  three  rebel  flags,  which  had  been  cap 
tured  by  the  Massachusetts  regiments  in  the  battle  at  Roanoke 
Island,  N.C.  A  resolution  was  adopted  to  have  the  flags  placed 
in  the  House  of  Representatives  during  the  remainder  of  the 
session.  Patriotic  speeches  were  made  by  Mr.  Field,  of  Stock- 
bridge,  and  by  the  Speaker  of  the  House,  Colonel  Bullock. 

March  6.     In  the  House.— The  Senate  bill  granting  State 


292  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

aid  to  the  families  of  volunteers  was  discussed  during  the  greater 
part  of  the  day,  and  was  passed  to  a  third  reading,  yeas  100, 
nays  73. 

Nothing  further  of  material  interest  to  the  volunteers,  or  in 
relation  to  the  war,  was  considered  during  the  session.  The 
acts  passed  by  the  extra  session  the  year  before  left  little  more 
to  be  done  for  the  soldiers. 

The  session  continued  until  the  30th  of  May,  when  both 
Houses  were  prorogued,  having  passed  226  acts  and  117 
resolves. 

Among  the  laws  passed  by  the  Legislature  at  this  session 
was  one  declaring  that  the  term  of  enlistment  of  a  person  in  the 
military  or  naval  service  shall  not  be  taken  as  part  of  the 
period  limited  for  the  prosecution  of  actions  of  such  persons, 
and  that,  if  defaulted,  he  may  sue  out  a  writ  of  review,  and  that, 
when  absent,  the  court  may  continue  or  suspend  the  suit ;  also, 
a  resolve  authorizing  the  Governor  to  build  one  or  more  iron 
clad  Monitors  for  coast  defences  ;  also,  authorizing  the  Treasurer 
to  receive  and  distribute  moneys  remitted  by  Massachusetts  vol 
unteers,  and  to  notify  the  treasurer  of  the  town  in  which  the 
family  of  the  soldier  resides,  who  was  to  notify  the  party  to  whom 
the  money  was  due,  and  to  pay  the  same  free  of  charge.  All 
such  money  was  exempt  from  attachment,  by  trustee  process  or 
otherwise.  If  the  money  remained  in  the  State  treasury  over 
thirty  days,  interest  was  to  be  allowed.  A  resolve  was  passed 
appropriating  five  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to  reimburse  expen 
ditures  made  for  the  relief  of  the  Massachusetts  prisoners  of  war 
at  Richmond  and  elsewhere ;  also,  a  resolve  authorizing  the 
Governor  to  take  measures  for  the  removal  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  of  Massachusetts  to  their  homes,  the  expenses 
of  which  were  to  be  paid  from  the  treasury  of  the  State  ;  also, 
a  resolve  authorizing  the  Governor  to  arrange  for  the  reception 
and  treatment  in  State  hospitals  of  such  of  our  wounded  and  sick 
seamen  and  soldiers  as  they  can  accommodate,  to  be  paid  for  by 
the  State  ;  also,  an  act  authorizing  towns  to  raise  and  appropri 
ate  money  for  the  aid  of  the  families  of  the  soldiers,  not  to 
exceed  one  dollar  a  week  for  the  wife,  and  one  dollar  a  week 
for  each  child  and  parent,  provided  that  the  whole  sum  shall  not 


OUR   PRISONERS    AT    RICHMOND.  293 

exceed  twelve  dollars  per  month  for  all  the  persons  named,  the 
money  thus  expended  to  be  annually  reimbursed  to  the  cities 
and  towns  from  the  treasury  of  the  State ;  also,  a  resolve 
thanking  Adeline  Tyler,  of  Baltimore,  for  the  kind,  humane,  and 
Christian  services  rendered  by  her  to  our  soldiers  who  were 
wounded  in  Baltimore,  April  19,  1861  ;  also,  resolves  acknowl 
edging  the  liberal  appropriation  of  the  State  of  Maryland  for 
the  relief  of  the  wounded,  and  to  the  families  of  the  killed,  of  the 
Sixth  Regiment  in  Baltimore,  on  that  memorable  day. 

The  clothing  and  blankets  forwarded  to  Richmond  for  the 
comfort  of  the  Massachusetts  prisoners  confined  there  was  con 
tained  in  thirty-six  cases.  Lieutenant  Charles  L.  Peirson, 
adjutant  of  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  was  one  of  the  prisoners  at 
Richmond.  He  was  permitted  by  the  rebel  authorities  to 
receive  and  distribute  the  articles.  In  a  letter  addressed  by 
him  to  the  Quartermaster-General  of  Massachusetts,  dated 
Richmond,  he  says,  — 

"  I  have  distributed  the  articles,  and  find  the  invoice  correct.  I  find 
the  number  of  prisoners  to  be  nearly  four  hundred.  By  strict  economy 
in  the  distribution,  they  are  all,  with  hardly  an  exception,  completely 
clothed.  There  are,  however,  some  sailors  of  the  crew  of  the  '  Massa 
chusetts  '  who  are  badly  off.  I  hope  soon  to  see  them  provided  for. 
I  have  sent  part  of  the  clothing  forward  to  those  Massachusetts  soldiers 
who  are  in  New  Orleans  and  Tuscaloosa.  One  hundred  and  seventy- 
five,  including  some  of  the  Fifteenth  arid  Twentieth  men,  are  to  be 
sent  to  Salisbury,  N.C.,  to-morrow;  and  the  remainder  will  follow  in 
a  short  time.  Mr.  Faulkner  called  upon  me  yesterday,  and  assured  me 
that  the  rebel  privateers  in  New  York  were  much  better  cared  for  than 
Colonel  Lee  and  his  associates  in  Henrico  County  jail,  and  promised  to 
use  his  influence  to  render  their  condition  more  comfortable.  I  hope 
soon  to  represent  Massachusetts  under  the  stars  and  stripes." 

The  military  expedition  under  General  Burnside,  to  invade 
North  Carolina,  commenced  embarking  on  board  transports  at 
Annapolis,  on  the  fifth  day  of  January,  1862,  and  sailed  from 
that  port  on  the  ninth  and  tenth.  The  military  force  was 
divided  into  three  brigades,  of  five  regiments  each.  One- 
third  of  the  whole  force  was  from  Massachusetts ;  comprising 
the  Twenty-first,  in  the  Second  Brigade,  commanded  by  Gen- 


294  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

eral  Jesse  L.  Reno,  and  the  Twenty-third,  Twenty-fourth, 
Twenty-fifth,  and  Twenty-seventh  Regiments,  in  the  First  Bri 
gade,  commanded  by  Brigadier-General  John  G.  Foster.  The 
most  intense  interest  was  felt  in  Massachusetts  for  the  safety 
and  success  of  this  expedition.  The  report  reached  Boston, 
on  the  twenty- third  day  of  January,  that  shipwreck  and  disaster 
had  befallen  the  fleet,  which  gave  pain  to  many  hearts.  The 
report,  however,  proved  groundless,  although  the  ships  had 
encountered  a  succession  of  severe  storms  for  nearly  two  weeks 
the  ships  were  at  sea ;  great  difficulty  was  encountered  in  cross 
ing  the  bar  at  Cape  Hatteras,  which  was  at  length  successfully 
surmounted.  When  the  fleet  came  to  anchor  off  Roanoke 
Island,  an  escaped  slave  came  on  board  the  ship  to  General 
Burnside,  with  whom  he  had  a  long  interview,  and  gave  much 
valuable  information  in  regard  to  the  best  place  to  land,  and 
the  force  of  the  enemy  on  the  island. 

The  troops  disembarked  on  the  seventh  day  of  February.  A 
detachment  of  General  Foster's  Brigade,  and  the  Twenty-fifth 
Massachusetts,  was  the  first  regiment  to  land  and  invade  the 
soil  of  North  Carolina.  The  capture  of  the  island,  the  bravery 
exhibited  by  the  troops,  and  the  large  number  of  prisoners  taken 
from  the  rebels,  made  it  one  of  the  most  successful  and  brilliant 
exploits,  up  to  that  time,  of  the  war.  The  Massachusetts  regi 
ments  were  conspicuous  for  their  bravery  and  good  conduct,  and 
captured  three  rebel  regimental  colors.  On  the  reception  of  the 
news  of  Burnside's  success,  great  joy  was  felt  throughout  the 
Commmon wealth,  although  many  homes  were  made  desolate  by 
the  death  of  members  who  had  fought,  and  won  the  victory. 
The  news  of  the  battle  reached  Massachusetts  on  the  fifteenth 
day  of  February ;  the  battle  having  been  fought  on  the  eighth. 
The  Legislature  was  in  session  ;  and  a  number  of  the  members 
requested  the  Governor  to  send  a  special  agent  to  the  island  to 
take  care  of  the  wounded.  He  at  once  selected,  with  great 
judgment,  Hon.  Alfred  Hitchcock,  of  Fitchburg,  a  member 
of  the  Executive  Council,  and  one  of  the  most  experienced 
and  skilful  surgeons  in  the  State.  The  doctor  reached  the 
island  in  the  quickest  possible  time,  where  his  services  as  a 
surgeon  were  put  in  immediate  requisition.  He  remained  there 


RETURN    OF    SICK   AND    WOUNDED.  295 

several  weeks,  and  assisted  in  preparing  the  convalescents  for 
transportation  to  New  England. 

On  the  seventh  day  of  March,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  were  placed  on  board  a  steam 
transport,  by  order  of  General  Burnside  ;  and  Dr.  Hitchcock 
was  placed  in  charge  of  them,  with  full  power  to  provide  for  their 
wants,  and  procure  transportation  to  their  several  homes.  They 
reached  Baltimore  on  the  evening  of  the  9th  of  March.  On 
arriving  at  New  York,  the  wounded  soldiers  were  welcomed 
by  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe,  our  Massachusetts  agent,  and 
amply  supplied  with  whatever  was  necessary  for  their  wants. 
The  Massachusetts  men,  seventy-one  in  number,  were  at  once 
forwarded  by  rail,  and  reached  their  homes  or  hospitals  before 
the  thirteenth  day  of  March.  At  the  New- York  and  New- 
Haven  depot,  in  New- York  City,  a  cruel  and  unjustifiable 
detention  occurred  in  the  embarkation  of  these  wounded  men, 
which  elicited  some  very  sharp  criticisms  in  the  loyal  papers  of 
that  day,  and  in  letters  of  Dr.  Hitchcock  and  Colonel  Frank 
E.  Howe  to  Governor  Andrew. 

Colonel  Howe  writes  to  the  Governor,  from  New  York, 
March  11,  "Received  telegram  from  Dr.  Hitchcock  at  two 
o'clock  at  night,  got  up  immediately,  did  all  I  could  for  him 
and  his  poor  men.  Dr.  Hitchcock  is  a  remarkable  man.  It 
was  very  rough  for  him  and  all  his  men.  I  have  spent  a 
good  many  dollars  to-day."  Also  telegraphs  the  Governor  the 
same  day,  "Dr.  Hitchcock  leaves  with  his  men  in  half-past- 
three-o'clock  train.  They  will  need  litters,  carriages,  and  re 
freshments." 

During  the  month  of  March,  a  large  number  of  other  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers  were  forwarded  by  General  Burnside.  March 
25,  Colonel  Howe  telegraphs  to  the  Governor,  "One  hundred 
wounded  men  from  Burnside  left  Baltimore  this  morning,  mostly 
Massachusetts  men.  Shall  take  good  care  of  them."  Same 
day,  he  writes  to  the  Governor,  "  Dr.  Upham  has  just  arrived, 
with  thirty  Massachusetts  men,  —  Major  Stevenson,  Lieu 
tenant  Nichols,  Lieutenant  Sargent,  Sergeant  Perkins,  and 
others.  We  shall  get  them  off  to-morrow  morning  by  the  eight- 
o'clock  train.  A  hundred  and  fifty  men,  who  left  Baltimore 


296  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLIOX. 

this  morning,  have  not  vet  arrived."  On  the  fourth  day  of 
April,  Surgeon-General  Dale  made  a  report  to  the  Governor,  in 
which  he  submitted  a  plan  of  forwarding  the  sick  and  wounded 
men  of  the  Massachusetts  regiments,  which  would  obviate  much 
of  the  confusion  and  delay  heretofore  experienced.  He  says 
that  Colonel  Howe  had  leased  in  New  York  a  large,  commodi 
ous,  and  well-ventilated  store,  on  Broadway,  for  the  accom 
modation  of  the  returning  sick  and  wounded,  and  that  Dr. 
Satterlee,  the  army  purveyor  stationed  there,  had  provided  them 
with  one  hundred  and  fifty  iron  bedsteads,  with  bed-sacks, 
blankets,  sheets,  and  pillow-cases.  He  would  also  furnish 
medicines,  dressings,  and  every  thing  necessary  for  the  comfort 
of  the  sick  and  wounded  in  this  temporary  building.  Colonel 
Eaton,  U.S.A.,  would  furnish  subsistence,  and  Colonel  Tomp- 
kins,  United-States  Quartermaster,  would  furnish  transportation. 
Nothing  is  wanted  of  the  State,  except  an  ambulance  wagon. 

Colonel  Howe  writes,  April  6,  "The  store  is  nearly  ready. 
Every  thing  is  in  it  but  baths  and  cooking  ranges,  and  those 
I  am  at  work  on  day  and  night,  and  am  ready  to  take  in  and 
care  for  the  wounded  soldiers  from  any  and  every  where. 
Plenty  of  money,  heaps  of  hearts  ready  and  determined. 
I  have  got  all  the  United  States  officials  with  us,  and  as 
many  of  the  surgeons  as  we  want.  The  community  is  with 
us,  and  we  feel  sure  that  we  have  the  Almighty  with  us." 

About  the  middle  of  March,  General  McClellan  began  his 
movement  against  Richmond,  by  a  change  of  base  from  before 
Washington  to  the  James  River.  It  was  not  until  the  middle 
of  April  that  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  ready  to  advance. 
Yorktovvn  was  captured  April  26  ;  and  the  battle  of  Williams- 
burg  was  fought  May  5,  in  which  Hooker's  brigade  bore  a 
conspicuous  part,  and  the  Massachusetts  First  and  Eleventh 
Regiments  suffered  severely. 

From  that  time  until  the  retreat  of  McClellan,  in  August,  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  stood  with  its  face  towards  the  rebel 
capital,  every  foot  of  its  onward  march  contested  by  the  rebels, 
and  almost  every  mile  of  its  advance  a  battle-field.  Many  of 
the  Massachusetts  dead  were  embalmed,  and  sent  home  to  their 
relatives  for  burial  by  the  graves  of  their  kindred.  Many  of 


COLONEL    HOWE    IN    NEW   YORK.  297 

the  wounded  were  forwarded  to  the  North ;  the  military  hospi 
tals  at  Washington,  Fortress  Monroe,  and  elsewhere  being 
filled  to  repletion.  On  the  13th  of  May,  the  first  instalment 
of  the  wounded  at  William sburg  reached  New  York.  Colonel 
Howe  on  that  day  telegraphs  to  the  Governor,  "I  am  com 
pelled  to  send  off  thirty-three  wounded  to-night,  by  eight-o'clock 
train,  all  able  to  walk,  —  all  from  Williamsburg.  Twenty-six 
of  them  belong  in  Boston.  The  transport  '  Daniel  Webster ' 
in,  with  three  hundred  more."  Next  day,  —  May  14,  —  he  tele 
graphs,  "I  send,  by  eight-o'clock  train,  six  bully  Chelsea  boys, 
of  the  First  Regiment,  in  care  of  a  Councilman,  John  Buck, 
also  five  more  brave  fellows.  All  will  have  to  ride  from 
the  depot.  We  are  with  the  sick  and  wounded  day  and  night, 
ladies  and  all.  Have  one  hundred  at  rooms,  and  one  hundred 
and  fifty  coming  in  this  morning.  Not  one  complains."  Every 
assistance  in  the  power  of  the  Governor,  the  Surgeon-General, 
and  other  State  officers,  was  rendered  the  brave  men,  upon  their 
arrival  in  Boston.  Among  the  many  despatches  received  at 
this  time  is  one  dated  New  York,  May  18,  to  the  Governor: 
"Have  sent  forty-eight  men,  —  Twenty-third  Regiment, — by 
five-o'clock  train,  to  Boston,  from  Burnside's  Division,  all  able  to 
travel."  This,  on  being  referred  to  Surgeon-General  Dale,  was 
returned  to  the  Governor,  with  this  characteristic  indorsement : 
"  The  men  came  four  hours  ago ;  and  I  am  sorry  I  was  not  in 
formed  of  it,  though  none  of  them  required  medical  assistance, 
probably  ;  yet  it  is  better  to  be  there  when  they  arrive.  It  looks 
more  friendly,  and  as  if  the  State  was  solicitous  about  them. 
No  harm  done  now,  however." 

From  this  period  until  the  end  of  the  war,  the  number  of  our 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  increased ;  and  the  duties  of  the  seve 
ral  State  agents  were  rendered  more  important  and  arduous. 
The  Governor  was  fortunate  in  the  selection  of  gentlemen  to  fill 
these  places,  and  discharge  these  duties.  The  most  important 
of  these  agencies  was  the  one  established  in  Washington,  of 
which  Colonel  Gardiner  Tufts,  of  Lynn,  was  placed  in  charge. 
A  brief  sketch  of  its  origin  and  subsequent  growth  deserves  a 
place  in  this  volume,  and  may  as  well  be  given  now  as  here 
after. 


298  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

When  our  Sixth  Regiment  reached  Washington,  April  19, 
1861,  it  was  ordered  to  the  Capitol,  and  quartered  in  the  Senate 
wing.  No  provision  had  been  made  for  the  wounded ;  but  by 
advice  of  Major  McDowell,  U.S.A.,  they  were  taken  in  car 
riages  by  the  Massachusetts  residents,  who  met  the  regiment  at 
the  depot,  to  the  Providence  Hospital.  This  institution  is  under 
the  direction  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity.  Here  the  first  wounded 
in  the  war  were  kindly  and  tenderly  cared  for.  On  the  same 
evening,  a  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  residents  was  held,  to 
organize  a  society  to  look  out  for  the  wants  of  the  Massachu 
setts  soldiers.  We  have  before  us  the  original  copy  of  the  con 
stitution  which  was  adopted,  with  the  names  of  the  original 
members,  who  signed  it.  The  preamble  is  in  these  words  :  — 

"  The  undersigned,  now  or  formerly  citizens  of  Massachusetts,  in 
order  to  secure,  by  organization  and  mutual  co-operation,  proper  care 
for  the  wounded  and  disabled,  and  decent  interment  for  the  dead,  of 
the  Massachusetts  troops  which  are  now  or  may  be  on  duty  in  this 
vicinity,  do  form  ourselves  into  a  society,  to  be  called  the  Massachu 
setts  Association." 

This  preamble  expresses,  in  clear  language,  the  object  of  the 
association.  This  was  the  first  organization  of  the  kind  formed 
in  the  war.  The  names  of  the  original  signers  were  Ben. 
Perley  Poore,  George  W.  McClellan,  Charles  F.  Macdonald, 
Arthur  W.  Fletcher,  Arnold  Burgess  Johnson,  Ira  Murdock, 
William  Stimpson,  I.  O.  Wilson,  Nathan  S.  Lincoln,  Edward 
Shaw,  Henry  O.  Brigham,  H.  H.  Pangborn,  J.  Wesley  Jones, 
Z.  K.  Pangborn,  Judson  S.  Brown,  B.  Fanuel  Craig,  B.  W. 
Perkins. 

The  meeting  for  the  choice  of  officers  was  held  in  the  old 
Senate  Chamber,  in  the  Capitol.  George  W.  McClellan,  Sec 
ond  Assistant  Postmaster-General,  was  elected  president ;  Z.  K. 
Pangborn,  vice-president ;  Charles  F.  Macdonald,  surgeon  and 
treasurer  ;  and  A.  B.  Johnson,  secretary.  This  society  appointed 
Miss  Lander,  of  Salem,  to  distribute  proper  articles  for  the  sick 
and  wounded.  Before  the  end  of  April,  it  was  in  successful 
operation.  Upon  the  arrival  of  our  Eighth  Regiment  at  Wash 
ington,  Lieutenant  Herrick,  of  the  Beverly  company,  whose 
foot  was  severely  wounded  by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  mus- 


STATE    AGENT   AT   WASHINGTON.  299 

ket  in  the  rotunda  of  the  Capitol,  was  taken  to  the  supreme- 
court  room,  where  his  foot  was  amputated.  It  was  then  de 
cided  to  fit  up  the  room  as  a  field  hospital ;  and  it  became  the 
first  army  hospital  established  in  the  Rebellion.  Its  beds  were 
soon  all  occupied  ;  and  the  care  of  sick  and  wounded  devolved 
upon  the  members  of  the  association,  who  were  promptly  sec 
onded  by  the  Massachusetts  ladies  then  in  Washington.  Miss 
Lander,  of  Salem,  sister  of  the  late  General  Frederick  W. 
Lander,  was  a  leader  in  these  good  works.  She  "  headed  the 
advance-guard  of  that  corps  of  mercy."  This  volunteer  associa 
tion  fulfilled  its  mission.  As  the  war  went  on,  many  of  the 
most  active  members  entered  the  army  and  navy.  The  de 
mands  for  hospital  accommodations  now  required  the  action  of 
the  Government,  and  an  organized  system.  In  the  summer  of 
1862,  when  the  sick  and  wounded  were  returned  in  great  num 
bers  from  the  peninsula  of  Virginia,  the  Governor  decided  to 
appoint  Gardiner  Tufts  the  agent  for  Massachusetts  in  Wash 
ington  ;  and,  on  the  18th  of  July,  Mr.  Tufts  was  commissioned 
for  that  purpose. 

His  instructions  were  prepared  at  the  State  House,  and  for 
warded  to  him.  He  was  to  prepare  a  weekly  report  of  the  dis 
abled  Massachusetts  soldiers  in  Washington,  with  the  company 
and  regiment  to  which  they  belonged.  As  far  as  practicable, 
he  was  to  visit  the  hospital  in  person,  and  supply  all  proper 
wants  of  our  men.  He  was  to  communicate  with  the  families 
of  the  patients,  stating  their  wants,  and  how  the  needed  sup 
plies  could  be  forwarded.  He  was  to  have  an  oversight  of  the 
burial  of  the  dead,  and,  when  requested  by  their  friends,  to 
have  the  bodies  forwarded,  at  the  expense  of  the  parties  re 
questing  it.  He  was  to  aid  the  soldiers  with  money  in  return 
ing  home,  if  they  had  not  sufficient  for  their  wants  themselves. 
The  instructions  were  very  comprehensive,  and  drawn  with 
marked  ability.  They  covered  every  service  which  an  agent 
could  do,  or  a  soldier  require. 

Mr.  Tufts  entered  upon  his  duties  July  28,  1862.  There 
were,  at  that  time,  forty-four  army  hospitals  in  the  District 
of  Columbia,  Fairfax,  and  Falls  Church,  Va.  The  battles  of 
Cedar  Mountain,  second  Bull  Run,  Chantilly,  and  Centreville, 


300  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLIOX. 

soon  after  increased  the  sick  and  wounded  to  sixty  hospitals, 
which  were  filled.  The  first  business  of  the  agent  was  to  ascer 
tain  the  number  of  Massachusetts  soldiers  among  the  sick  and 
wounded,  also  their  condition,  the  regiments  to  which  they  be 
longed,  and  what  assistance  they  required.  Nearly  five  hun 
dred  of  our  men  were  in  these  hospitals  ;  and  the  whole  number 
upon  the  books  of  the  agency,  as  having  been  in  the  hospitals 
in  that  department,  during  the  war,  was  seventeen  thousand 
four  hundred  and  eighty-eight,  of  which  seven  hundred  and 
thirty-six  died.  Soon  after  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Tufts,  an 
other  society,  composed  of  Massachusetts  men,  living  in  the 
district,  was  organized,  under  the  name  of  the  "  Massachusetts 
Soldiers'  Relief  Association,"  the  members  of  which  visited  the 
hospitals  regularly,  and  ascertained  the  name  and  condition  of 
every  Massachusetts  soldier,  and  relieved  his  wants.  This 
organization  ceased  some  time  in  1863  ;  and  the  labor  which  the 
members  had  performed  devolved  upon  the  State  agent,  who 
was  empowered  to  employ  persons  to  visit  the  soldiers,  for  which 
they  were  paid  by  the  Commonwealth.  By  systematic  effort, 
the  agent,  during  the  entire  war,  was  enabled  to  ascertain  the 
exact  condition  of  every  patient  belonging  to  the  State,  and  to 
have  a  perfect  record  in  his  office.  The  greatest  number 
of  persons  employed  at  any  one  time  was  eighteen.  This 
was  in  December,  1864.  All  accessible  battle-fields  were  visited 
by  the  agent,  a  knowledge  of  our  wounded  obtained,  and  assist 
ance  rendered.  In  May,  1864,  when  General  Grant  began  his 
memorable  advance  toward  Richmond  from  the  Rapidan,  a  field- 
agency  was  established,  following  the  army,  which  continued  in 
successful  operation  until  the  end  of  the  war.  During  the 
general  exchange  of  prisoners,  which  began  in  December,  1864, 
a  force  of  the  agency  was  maintained  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  and 
information  of  great  value  obtained  in  regard  to  our  men  who 
had  suffered  and  who  had  died  in  rebel  prisons,  and  much  needed 
assistance  was  rendered. 

Up  to  Jan.  1,  1867,  over  twenty-five  thousand  letters  had 
been  written  at  the  agency  at  Washington,  which  covered 
twenty  thousand  pages  of  letterpress.  During  the  same 
period,  about  five  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  dollars  had 


STATE    AGENTS    AT   PHILADELPHIA   AND   BALTIMORE.       301 

been  collected  from  the  Government  for  soldiers  or  their  heirs 
without  charge.  During  this  period,  the  total  amount  of  money 
transactions  of  the  agency  was  $721,722.87.  The  total  num 
ber  of  names  of  Massachusetts  soldiers  invalided  during  the 
war  at  the  agency  was  36,151,  the  names  of  whom  had, 
from  time  to  time,  been  reported  by  Mr.  Tufts  to  the  State 
authorities.  Many  more  interesting  facts  connected  with  the 
agency  might  be  given ;  but  those  already  stated  are  suf 
ficient  to  show  its  importance,  and  to  make  manifest  the  ar 
duous  and  faithful  labors  of  the  agent,  in  grateful  recognition 
of  which  the  Governor  appointed  Mr.  Tufts  an  assistant  adju 
tant-general,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel.  The  entire 
cost  of  the  agency  to  the  Commonwealth  was  thirty-five  thousand 
dollars.  We  cannot  close  this  brief  sketch  without  expressing 
our  acknowledgments  to  Colonel  Tufts,  for  the  services  rendered 
by  him  to  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  of  the  Commonwealth ; 
and  also  to  Mrs.  Jennie  L.  Thomas,  of  Dedham,  who  was 
appointed  in  October,  1862,  to  assist  Colonel  Tufts  in  his 
humane  labors,  and  whose  devotion  to  the  cause  and  kindness 
to  the  worn  and  weary  of  Massachusetts  soldiers,  suffering  from 
honorable  wounds  or  from  fevers  engendered  by  exposure  in  the 
Wilderness  of  Virginia,  the  morasses  of  the  Carolinas,  and  the 
swamps  of  Mississippi  and  Louisiana  will  never  be  forgotten  by 
them. 

Agencies  were  also  formed  in  Baltimore  and  Philadelphia. 
William  Robinson  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  first 
named,  and  Robert  C.  Carson  of  the  last.  Mr.  Robinson 
had  been  kind  to  our  soldiers  who  were  wounded  on  the 
19th  of  April;  and  Mr.  Carson  had  been  distinguished  for  his 
attention  to  our  men  on  their  way  to  the  front,  and  on  their 
return,  while  in  Philadelphia.  Mr.  Robinson  died  before  the 
close  of  the  war;  Mr.  Carson  was  appointed  assistant  quar 
termaster-general,  and  commissioned  by  the  Governor  lieu 
tenant-colonel.  These  two  agencies  were  of  much  assistance  to 
the  State  authorities,  and  of  material  service  in  many  ways, 
especially  as  useful  auxiliaries  to  the  two  great  agencies  in  New 
York  and  Washington,  at  the  heads  of  which  were  Colonel 
Howe  and  Colonel  Tufts. 


302  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

In  addition  to  the  agencies  established  by  the  Governor  to 
guard  the  rights  and  protect  the  suffering  soldiers  of  Massachu 
setts,  members  of  his  staff,  at  various  times,  were  sent  to  the 
front  to  look  after  them,  to  report  their  condition,  and  ascertain 
if  any  thing  could  be  done  by  the  State  to  render  them  more 
comfortable.  The  Governor  also  frequently  visited  the  Massa 
chusetts  regiments,  and  made  himself  personally  acquainted 
with  their  condition.  During  the  year  1862,  which  was  one 
of  much  disaster  and  suffering,  the  Adjutant-General,  Colonel 
Ritchie,  Colonel  John  Q.  Adams,  and  Dr.  Bowditch,  were 
sent  to  the  front  and  visited  our  men,  and  reported  to  the  Gov 
ernor  all  matters  of  interest  in  relation  to  them.  An  abstract 
of  these  reports  we  now  present. 

The  Adjutant-General  left  Boston  on  the  21st  of  January. 
He  remained  in  New  York  one  day,  and  visited  the  Twenty- 
eighth  Regiment,  which  was  in  the  old  fort  on  Governor's 
Island,  New-York  Harbor.  The  cold  and  gloomy  casemates, 
in  which  they  were  quartered,  and  the  badly  provided  commis 
sariat,  caused  much  suffering  and  discontent  among  the  men. 
He  hurried  on  to  Washington  that  night,  and  the  next  morning, 
accompanied  by  Senator  Wilson,  called  at  the  War  Department, 
and  had  an  interview  with  Adjutant-General  Thomas,  and  ac 
quainted  him  Avith  the  condition  of  the  regiment.  The  latter 
promised  to  lay  the  subject  before  the  Secretary  of  War  imme 
diately.  The  Adjutant- General  says,  "  I  waited  three  days  be 
fore  I  could  see  him  again  ;  and  it  was  not  until  I  received  your 
Excellency's  letter,  inclosing  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  Captain 
Barrett  complaining  of  the  treatment  of  this  regiment,  that  I 
was  enabled,  with  Senator  Wilson's  assistance,  to  have  action 
taken  by  the  A\rar  Department.  Secretary  Stanton  issued 
orders  immediately,  by  telegraph,  to  the  commander  of  the  fort 
and  to  the  colonel  of  the  regiment,  which  I  subsequently  ascer 
tained  were  of  great  service  in  obtaining  the  necessary  comforts 
for  the  men.  On  my  return  to  New  York,  a  fortnight  after,  I 
found  the  regiment  in  good  condition."  The  Twenty-eighth 
sailed,  on  the  16th  of  February,  from  New  York,  to  join  General 
Sherman  at  Port  Royal,  S.C. 

The  Fifth  Battery  was  encamped  on  Capitol  Hill,  and  had 


VISIT   TO    THE    ARMY.  303 

been  assigned  to  General  Franklin's  division.  The  officers  had 
preferred  to  be  put  in  General  Fitz  John  Porter's  division,  as 
he  had  many  Massachusetts  regiments  in  his  command.  This 
he  effected  with  the  aid  of  Messrs.  Elliot  and  Gooch,  members 
of  Congress.  He  next  visited  the  camps  of  the  Seventh  and 
Tenth  Regiments  at  Brightwood,  about  six  miles  from  Wash 
ington.  He  says,  "Although  the  weather  had  been  bad,  and 
the  roads  were  in  a  condition  hardly  conceivable  by  a  New- 
Englander,  I  found  the  officers  and  men  in  good  health  and 
excellent  condition.  There  was  but  one  man  sick  in  the  Sev 
enth,  and  the  Tenth  had  not  a  single  person  in  the  hospital. 
The  men  lived  in  comfortable  log  huts,  which  they  had  built 
themselves,  and  were  quite  well  satisfied  with  their  quarters. 
After  spending  some  pleasant  hours  with  the  officers,  and  making 
an  inspection  of  the  men's  quarters,  I  returned  to  Washington, 
much  pleased  with  the  day's  labors."  The  journey  was  made 
on  horseback ;  and  he  was  accompanied  by  Captain  Dudley, 
U.S.A.,  then  stationed  in  Washington,  but  who  was  shortly 
after  appointed  by  the  Governor  colonel  of  the  Thirtieth  Regi 
ment  ;  and  by  Major  Fletcher,  United-States  paymaster.  The 
next  two  days,  he  remained  in  Washington,  transacting  business 
at  the  War  Department,  arid  endeavoring  to  secure  the  accept 
ance  of  Maxwell's  company  of  sharpshooters,  but  failed  to 
accomplish  it.  The  report  then  proceeds  :  — 

"  Having  obtained  a  pass  from  General  McClellan,  I  proceeded  to 
the  Virginia  side  to  visit  the  Massachusetts  troops  beyond  the  Poto 
mac.  I  passed  over  the  Long  Bridge  about  nine  o'clock,  and  was 
surprised  at  the  number  of  wagons,  equestrians,  and  pedestrians, 
moving  through  the  mud  into  Virginia.  At  the  end  of  the  Long 
Bridge  is  Fort  Runyon,  garrisoned  by  a  company  of  the  Massachu 
setts  Fourteenth  [shortly  afterwards  changed  to  the  First  Heavy 
Artillery].  The  other  companies  of  this  command  are  near,  at  Forts 
Albany  and  Hamilton ;  the  main  body  being  at  Fort  Albany,  the 
headquarters  of  Colonel  Green." 

Here  he  spent  an  hour,  and  then  rode  on  to  visit  the  Ninth, 
Eighteenth,  and  Twenty-second  Regiments,  and  the  Third  and 
Fourth  Batteries  in  General  Porter's  division.  The  roads  were 
shocking.  He  stopped  at  General  Blenker's  headquarters, 


304  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

which  were  in  what  had  formerly  been  a  cross-roads  tavern. 
He  was  kindly  received,  and  was  introduced  to  a  number  of 
the  staff  officers.  They  were  all  foreigners,  among  whom  was 
Prince  Salm-Salm,  who  has  since  become  famous  for  his  ex 
ploits  in  Mexico,  under  the  late  Emperor.  Blenker's  brigade 
was  composed  almost  entirely  of  German  regiments.  The 
Massachusetts  regiments  named  above  were  encamped  near 
Hall's  Hill.  The  camps  of  many  of  the  regiments  were 
decorated  with  evergreens  ;  beautiful  arches,  made  of  pines  and 
cedars,  adorned  the  company  streets.  On  a  large,  open  field, 
between  the  German  and  the  Massachusetts  camps,  he  witnessed 
a  spendid  sham-fight,  in  which  upwards  of  five  thousand  men, 
of  all  arms  of  the  service,  took  part.  After  making  a  pleasant 
call  at  the  headquarters  of  the  Eighteenth  and  Twenty-second 
Regiments,  where  he  found  the  men  in  good  health,  and  supplied 
with  every  necessary  for  camp  life,  he  passed  on  over  Hall's 
Hill  and  Minor's  Farm,  through  fields  made  desolate  by  war, 
to  the  camp  of  the  Ninth  Regiment,  stationed  within  a  mile  of 
Fall's  Church,  which  was  plainly  in  sight,  though  it  was  within 
the  rebel  lines,  where  pickets  were  plainly  visible.  "Between 
Hall's  Hill  and  the  camp  of  the  Ninth  is  a  large  field,  where  a 
skirmish  had  taken  place  some  months  before.  The  graves  of 
the  men  who  had  fallen,  and  the  skeletons  of  dead  horses,  half 
buried,  mark  the  spot." 

He  found  Colonel  Cass  in  his  tent,  and  received  from  him  a 
warm  and  hearty  welcome.  The  regiment  was  full,  and  not  a 
sick  man  among  them.  General  Morrell,  who  commanded  the 
Brigade,  came  over  to  Colonel  Cass's  quarters  in  the  evening, 
and  stopped  several  hours. 

"  That  night  I  slept  under  canvas ;  and,  although  it  rained  inces 
santly,  not  a  drop  came  through.  The  next  morning,  I  saw  the  regi 
ment  in  line  ;  and,  notwithstanding  the  snow  and  rain  which  continued 
to  fall,  the  ranks  were  full.  I  saw  most  of  the  officers,  and  passed 
many  pleasant  hours  with  this  regiment.  On  my  return,  Colonel  Cass 
accompanied  me  as  far  as  Fort  Albany.  On  our  way,  we  called  on 
Major-General  Porter,  and  arranged  with  him  about  receiving  our 
Sixth  Battery.  We  also  called  at  the  headquarters  of  Brigadier- 
General  Martindale,  but  he  was  absent ;  but  I  was  glad  to  find,  in  a 


GENERAL    SCHOULER'S    REPORT.  305 

tent  near  by,  our  old  friend  Dr.  Lyman ;  also,  Captain  Batchelder, 
late  of  the  Twenty-second  Regiment,  now  on  Martindale's  staff.  We 
then  proceeded  over  fields  of  fallen  timber,  and  across  ravines,  for 
about  four  miles,  to  Fort  Cass,  which  was  constructed  last  summer 
by  the  Ninth,  and  named  in  honor  of  their  colonel.  After  warm 
ing  ourselves  and  drying  our  clothes,  we  started  across  the  country 
towards  Fort  Albany,  passing  through  several  camps  ;  among  them, 
that  of  the  Nineteenth  Indiana,  commanded  by  an  old  veteran  friend 
of  mine,  Colonel  Meredith.  At  Fort  Albany,  we  parted  with  Colonel 
Cass  ;  he  returning  to  his  regiment,  and  we  to  Washington,  and 
reached  our  hotel  about  six  o'clock." 

We  never  saw  Colonel  Cass  in  life  again.  Pie  was  mortally 
wounded  before  Richmond,  and  died  July  12,  1862.  The 
report  continues,  — 

"  I  had  been  two  days  on  horseback,  through  a  continued  storm  of 
rain  and  snow,  with  mud  up  to  the  stirrups  part  of  the  way ;  and  yet  I 
never  had  a  more  delightful  journey." 

Two  more  days  were  passed  in  Washington,  transacting  busi 
ness  at  the  War  Office.  On  the  third  day,  accompanied  by 
Colonel  Coffin,  of  Newburyport,  went  on  board  a  steamer, 
and  were  taken  to  Budd's  Ferry,  about  fifty  miles  down  the 
Potomac,  on  the  Maryland  side.  Here  were  the  First  and 
the  Eleventh  Regiments,  which  formed  part  of  General  Hook 
er's  brigade.  We  quote  again  :  — 

"  On  the  opposite  side  from  the  landing,  one  of  the  rebel  batteries 
was  distinctly  visible.  The  roads  from  the  lauding  to  the  camps  of  our 
regiments  were  the  worst  I  ever  saw.  At  one  place,  a  wagon  of  the 
Second  New-Hampshire  Regiment  was  stuck  fast  in  the  mud.  The 
forward  wheels  were  completely  out  of  sight,  and  the  thin,  red  mud 
was  running  into  the  bottom  of  the  wagon.  We  soon  came  to  a  de 
tachment  of  the  First  Regiment,  under  command  of  my  friend,  Captain 
Chamberlain,  of  Roxbury,  making  a  corduroy  road.  After  a  tiresome 
ride  on  horseback  of  two  hours,  we  came  to  General  Hooker's  head 
quarters." 

We  had  a  pleasant  interview  with  the  General,  and  then  went 
forward  to  the  regiments,  where  we  met  with  a  hearty  welcome. 
Colonel  Cowdin  was  acting  Brigadier-General.  The  regiments 
were  comfortably  quartered,  and  there  were  but  few  in  the  hospi- 

20 


306  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

tals.  We  remained  in  Colonel  Cowdin's  quarters  all  night,  made 
an  inspection  of  the  regiment  next  morning,  and,  taking  a 
friendly  good-by  of  officers  and  men,  rode  back  to  the  ferry,  and 
reached  Washington  that  night. 

"The  next  day"  (says  the  report),  "I  went  to  see  General  Barry, 
chief  of  artillery,  with  Captain  Davis,  of  Lowell,  to  have  his  com 
pany,  which  has  been  at  Fortress  Monroe  ever  since  May  last,  changed 
to  a  light  battery,  as  recommended  by  Major-General  Wool." 

The  change  was  made  the  next  day,  and  the  company  was 
from  that  time  known  as  the  Seventh  Light  Battery  Massachu 
setts  Volunteers.  On  the  following  day,  we  went  to  Baltimore, 
where  the  Seventeenth  Regiment  and  the  First  Light  Battery 
were  stationed.  We  received  a  hearty  welcome  from  officers 
and  men ;  visited  the  barracks  and  the  hospital.  There  was 
more  sickness  in  the  regiment  than  in  any  others  we  had 
visited,  which  we  attributed  to  its  close  proximity  to  a  large 
city.  The  number  in  hospital  was  thirty.  The  report  says, — 

"  The  officers  take  good  care  of  the  health  of  the  men.  Both  the 
regiment  and  battery  are  highly  esteemed  by  the  loyal  citizens  of  Bal 
timore,  several  of  whom  I  saw,  and  conversed  with." 

On  the  same  evening,  we  left  Baltimore  in  a  steamer  for 
Fortress  Monroe,  and  arrived  there  the  next  morning.  We 
paid  our  respects  to  Major-General  Wool,  who  was  in  command 
of  the  department.  He  spoke  warmly  in  praise  of  our  State, 
and  of  the  Massachusetts  troops  in  his  command.  We  quote 


"  I  remained  three  days  at  Fortress  Monroe  and  Newport  News, 
and  had  an  excellent  opportunity  of  becoming  acquainted  with  the 
condition  of  our  Sixteenth  and  Twenty-ninth  Regiments.  Here,  as 
elsewhere,  I  found  our  men  in  general  good  health,  and  earnestly  de 
siring  to  advance  on  the  enemy.  Colonel  Wyman  is  almost  idolized 
by  his  regiment  (the  Sixteenth),  which  he  has  brought  to  a  high 
state  of  discipline.  Colonel  Pierce  had  taken  command  of  the  Twenty- 
ninth  a  short  time  before  my  arrival.  From  all  I  can  learn,  his  ap 
pointment  seemed  to  give  general  satisfaction  ;  and  I  believe  he  will  be 
an  efficient  and  popular  officer.  The  New-York  Ninety-ninth  is  sta 
tioned  near  Fortress  Monroe,  and  commanded  by  my  old  friend,  Colonel 


COLONEL  RITCHIE'S  REPORT.  307 

Wardrop.*  As  nearly  one-half  of  his  regiment  is  composed  of  Mas 
sachusetts  men,  I  regret  he  does  not  hold  a  Massachusetts  commission. 
Captain  Davis's  company,  to  which  I  have  before  alluded,  is  stationed 
inside  of  the  fortress,  and  is  permanently  attached  to  the  garrison." 

We  remained  at  Fortress  Monroe  three  days,  and  then  re 
turned  direct  to  Boston.  We  succeeded  in  getting  from  the 
regiments  correct  rolls  of  desertions,  discharges,  and  deaths, 
since  they  had  left  the  Commonwealth.  These  rolls  were 
of  great  value  in  correcting  the  descriptive  rolls  at  the  State 
House,  and  in  preventing  frauds  in  paying  the  State  aid  to  the 
families  of  soldiers.  We  were  absent  from  the  State  about 
three  weeks. 

It  was  difficult  to  realize  the  change  which  the  war  had  made 
in  Washington  and  vicinity.  Soldiers  were  everywhere.  From 
the  dome  of  the  Capitol,  a  splendid  view  was  obtained  of  the 
different  camps,  in  which  were  stationed  a  hundred  thousand 
armed  men,  —  the  nucleus  of  what  afterwards  became  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  railroad  from  the  Susquehanna 
was  guarded  by  soldiers,  along  the  entire  line,  to  Washington. 
Pennsylvania  Avenue  was  patrolled  by  detachments  of  infantry 
and  cavalry.  New  regiments  arrived  daily,  marched  up  the 
avenue,  crossed  the  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia,  selected  their 
camp-ground  under  orders  of  brigade  commanders,  pitched  their 
tents,  lighted  their  camp-fires,  and  became  a  part  of  the  living 
mass  wherein  were  centred  the  best  hopes  of  loyal  America, 
and  for  whom  the  prayers,  from  a  million  family  altars,  as 
cended  daily  to  heaven.  No  one  can  fully  realize  the  grandeur 
of  the  army,  and  the  magnitude  of  the  Rebellion,  who  never 
visited  Washington  in  the  years  when  it  was  being  fought. 

On  or  about  the  20th  of  July,  the  Governor  despatched  Colonel 
Ritchie,  of  his  personal  staff,  to  the  James  River,  to  make  a  per 
sonal  examination  into  the  condition  of  the  Massachusetts  regi 
ments  in  General  McClellan's  army,  which  had  fallen  back  from 
before  Richmond  to  the  James  River,  near  Harrison's  Landing 
and  Malvern  Hill.  On  the  28th  of  July,  Colonel  Ritchie  had 


*  Colonel  Wardrop  commanded  the  Third  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Mill 
tia,  in  the  three  months'  service. 


308  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

readied  Harrison's  Bar,  James  River,  Va.,  where  he  wrote  a  long 
and  interesting  letter  to  the  Governor.  It  appears  that  Colonel 
Bitchie  went  by  way  of  Washington,  where  he  found  General 
Burnside,  who  had  been  summoned  from  North  Carolina  to  a 
consultation  with  General  Halleck  ;  "and  they  both  left,  that 
same  day,  for  this  place,  to  confer  with  General  McClellan. 
This  move  on  the  part  of  General  Halleck  was  intended  to  be 
kept  a  great  secret,  and  he  left  Willard's  almost  in  disguise  ; 
but,  though  no  one  at  Fortress  Monroe  or  this  point  knew  of  the 
visit,  it  was  duly  recorded  by  those  admirable  spies  for  the 
enemy,  the  New- York  papers.  Generals  Halleck,  Burnside, 
Reno,  Parke,  Cullom,  and  Sedgwick  have  all  made  most  earnest 
inquiries  concerning  the  success  of  the  recruiting  in  Massachu 
setts,  and  expressed  the  greatest  satisfaction  at  your  determina 
tion  to  fill  up  the  old  regiments  first.  At  the  same  time,  I  find 
that  the  almost  universal  feeling  of  the  army  is  against  the  sys 
tem  of  bribing  men  to  do  their  duty  by  large  bounties,  and  in 
favor  of  an  immediate  draft."  General  Burnside  offered  Colonel 
Ritchie  passage  to  Fortress  Monroe  in  his  flag-boat,  which 
offer  was  accepted ;  and,  finding  that  our  Twenty-first  and 
Twenty-eighth  Regiments  were  at  Newport  News,  he  deter 
mined  to  visit  them  at  once.  Captain  Davis  (Seventh  Battery) 
had  left  Fortress  Monroe,  that  morning,  with  a  force  of  infantry, 
to  reinforce  against  an  apprehended  attack.  It  was  represented 
to  be  in  splendid  condition. 
The  Colonel  then  writes,  — 

"  It  may  be  useful  to  remark,  that  General  Dix,  in  command  at  Fort 
ress  Monroe,  exercises  a  discretionary  power,  or  revising  power,  at  Old 
Point,  as  to  passes  from  the  Secretary  of  War ;  and  the  vise  of  the 
provost-marshal  is  absolutely  necessary  to  enable  any  one  to  get  up  this 
river.  I  will  also  notice,  for  the  information  of  any  of  the  staff  whom 
your  Excellency  may  see  fit  to  send  out  here  at  any  time,  that,  con 
trary  to  General  Reed's  opinion,  I  find  my  uniform  an  '  open  sesame,' 
while  a  civilian's  dress  would  stop  a  man  at  every  step." 

Colonel  Ritchie  found,  at  Newport  News,  three  divisions  of 
Burnside's  corps,  and  General  Stevens's  division,  from  Hil 
ton  Head.  General  Burnside  expected  to  have,  in  a  short  time, 
thirty  thousand  men  ;  but  it  was  a  curious  fact,  that  not  a  regi- 


COLONEL  EITCHIE'S  EEPORT.  309 

ment  had  been  sent  up  the  river  to  Harrison's  Landing.  He 
found  the  Twenty-first  Regiment,  which  had  come  from  North 
Carolina,  "in  fine  condition,"  and  only  requiring  a  hundred  and 
fifty  recruits  to  fill  it  up.  Colonel  Clarke,  who  commanded  the 
Twenty-first,  informed  Colonel  Ritchie,  that  "  he  had  forwarded 
his  recommendations  for  promotions,  and  had  nothing  more  to 
add,  excepting  that  he  hoped  your  Excellency  would  not  give 
any  commissions  to  officers  who  had  resigned.  I  will  add  here, 
that  this  is  a  point  upon  which  I  find  the  greatest  sensitiveness, 
in  every  direction.  The  number  of  resignations  have  been 
scandalously  large ;  only  those  are  accepted  which  are  consid 
ered  beneficial  to  the  service  ;  and  it  would  have  a  most  disastrous 
effect  to  send  back  men  with  increased  rank,  or  with  any 
rank,  who  have  shirked  the  hardships  and  exposures  of  the 
army." 

Colonel  Ritchie  next  visited  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment, 
which  was  composed,  in  great  part,  of  men  of  Irish  birth,  and 
which  had  been  brought  up  from  South  Carolina  to  reinforce 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  It  was  stationed  at  Newport  News, 
and  formed  part  of  General  Stevens's  division.  Of  this  regi 
ment,  the  Colonel  writes,  — 

"  They  have  made  full  returns  of  the  number  of  recruits  required. 
Colonel  Monteith  is  under  arrest,  and  is  now  before  a  court-martial.  He 
has  been  very  ill,  and  is  such  a  sufferer  as  to  be  unfit  for  duty.  The 
lieutenant-colonel  has  resigned.  Major  Cartwright  is  in  command,  and 
is  an  excellent  officer.  The  regiment  is  composed  of  splendid  mate 
rial  ;  but  it  requires  two  new  field  officers,  of  energy  and  capacity,  and 
who  are  also  gentlemen,  to  bring  up  its  morale  and  discipline,  which  is, 
at  present,  very  unsatisfactory." 

Colonel  Monteith  was  a  citizen  of  New  York.  He  was 
strongly  recommended  by  James  T.  Brady,  Esq.,  of  that  city, 
and  by  prominent  Irish  gentlemen  of  Boston.  The  Governor 
had  no  acquaintance  with  Colonel  Monteith,  but  commissioned 
him  upon  the  representations  made  of  his  fitness  by  the  gentle 
men  referred  to.  In  five  days  after  Colonel  Ritchie  wrote  the 
report  from  which  we  quote,  — viz.,  on  the  5th  of  August,  - 
Colonel  Monteith  was  discharged.  Colonel  Ritchie  left  Fort 
ress  Monroe  on  Saturday,  the  26th,  for  Harrison's  Landing, 


310  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLIOX. 

in  the  mail-boat,  taking  a  gunboat  as  convoy  from  James  Island, 
about  sixty  miles  up  the  river.  The  passage  was  somewhat 
hazardous,  and  very  exciting.  On  landing,  he  says,  — 

"  I  should  have  been  miserably  helpless,  had  not  General  Devens 
sent  down  his  orderlies,  with  horses  and  wagon,  and  Lieutenant 
Church  Howe,  aide-de-camp  to  General  Sedgwick,  to  show  me  the  way. 
We  had  to  take  refuge  at  this  general's  headquarters.  This  gave  me  a 
chance  of  talking  with  him.  He  spoke  most  warmly  of  the  Fifteenth, 
Nineteenth,  and  Twentieth,  which  are  in  his  division,  Sumner's 
corps.  The  officers  he  particularly  commended  were  Hinks,  whom 
he  has  repeatedly  urged  for  a  brigadier-generalship ;  Palfrey,  who, 
he  says,  is  a  most  excellent  officer  ;  and  Major  Paul  Revere,  who,  he 
says,  ought  to  have  a  regiment.  General  Sumner  says  that  he  has 
offered  Revere  the  inspector-generalship  of  his  staff.  Revere  hesitates, 
as  he  has  made  application  for  a  position  in  one  of  the  new  regi 
ments." 

The  brigade  commanded  by  General  Devens  included  the  Sev 
enth  and  Tenth  Massachusetts  Regiments.  The  brigade  was  in 
Keyes's  corps.  These  were  next  visited  by  Colonel  Ritchie. 
The  Seventh  had  been  but  little  exposed  in  action,  and  was  "in 
magnificent  condition.  The  colonel  is  held  in  high  esteem." 
The  lieutenant-colonel  was  regarded  as  inefficient ;  the  major, 
a  most  excellent  officer.  A  board  had  been  appointed  to  exam 
ine  the  lieutenant-colonel,  and  he  would  probably  resign.  He 
was  discharged  Oct.  4,  1862.  A  great  many  officers  and  men 
were  at  this  time  in  hospitals,  and  a  good  many  enlisted  men 
had  deserted.  General  Marcy,  of  General  McClellan's  staff, 
"urged  the  importance  of  some  appeal,  by  the  Governors  of 
States,  to  the  authorities  of  cities  and  towns,  and  the  people  in 
general,  to  force  deserters  to  return  to  their  duties,  and  give 
such  information  concerning  such  men  as  to  get  them  returned." 
Colonel  Ritchie  reports  at  great  length  in  regard  to  filling  the 
existing  vacancies  in  the  Seventh  and  Tenth  Regiments,  and 
gives  a  full  and  impartial  review  of  the  qualifications  of  those 
who  were  naturally  looking  for  promotions.  The  Tenth  Regi 
ment  wished  to  have  an  army  officer  appointed  colonel  in  place 
of  Colonel  Briggs,  wounded,  and  promoted  brigadier-general. 
Captain  Dana,  of  the  regular  army,  was  the  choice  of  nearly  all. 


EDWARD    S.    RAND'S    REPORT.  311 

"Dexter  F.  Parker,  who  has  resigned  his  commissariat  to  go  into 
the  line  is  highly  recommended  by  General  Devens,  for  a  major- 
ship  in  the  Tenth.  Captain  Parker  said  he  would  not  go  into 
the  regiment ;  but,  on  the  suggestion  that  the  regiment  might 
get  Captain  Dana  for  colonel,  Parker  said,  that,  in  such  a  case, 
he  would  be  too  glad  to  go  into  it ;  that  he  knew  Dana  well, 
and  considered  him  one  of  the  entirely  honest  and  reliable  men 
and  gentlemen  in  the  Quartermaster's  Department."  Captain 
Dana  was  not  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Tenth,  but  Henry  L. 
Eustis,  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  was.  Captain  Parker  was 
commissioned  major,  and  served  until  he  was  mortally  wounded 
in  General  Grant's  advance  from  the  Rapidan,  and  died  May  12, 
1864.  The  remaining  part  of  Colonel  Kitchie's  report  relates 
to  matters  not  of  general  interest,  though  of  importance  to  the 
Governor,  in  furnishing  information  to  guide  him  in  making 
appointments  to  fill  the  vacancies  in  the  Massachusetts  regiments 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Edward  S.  Rand,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  who  had  a  son,  an  officer, 
in  the  First  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  in  April,  1862, 
visited  the  regiment,  then  stationed  at  Hilton  Head,  S.C.  Of 
this  regiment,  much  complaint  had  been  made,  even  before  it 
left  the  State,  concerning  the  severity  of  the  discipline  imposed 
by  Colonel  Williams.  These  complaints  reached  the  State 
House ;  and  Mr.  Rand  was  requested  by  the  Governor  to  in 
quire  into  them,  and  report  the  facts  upon  his  return.  The 
report  made  by  Mr.  Rand  was  in  the  highest  degree  complimen 
tary  to  Colonel  Williams,  and  to  the  condition  of  the  regiment, 
which  had  been  brought  to  an  excellent  state  of  efficiency. 
The  charges  of  undue  severity  and  cruelty,  made  by  interested 
parties,  were  declared  to  be  entirely  groundless.  The  men  were 
satisfied,  were  well  cared  for,  and  in  good  health.  In  conclu 
sion,  he  says,  — 

"I  cannot  omit  mentioning  a  custom  introduced  by  Colonel  Wil 
liams,  which  I  could  wish  prevailed  in  all  the  regiments  of  our  vast 
army.  At  the  close  of  the  dress-parade,  each  day,  and  before  the  parade 
is  dismissed,  the  chaplain,  who  has  been  standing  in  the  rear  of  the 
colonel,  advances  to  the  front,  and,  while  officers  and  men  stand  un 
covered,  offers  a  short  and  earnest  prayer  to  Him  who  is  the  only 
shield  from  danger,  and  the  only  Giver  of  all  victories." 


312  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Mr.  Rand  also  visited  the  camp  of  the  Twenty-eighth  Massa 
chusetts  Infantry,  who  were  encamped  near  the  cavalry.  The 
camp  was  kept  clean,  and  the  general  health  of  the  men  good, 
for  which,  he  says,  — 

"  Much  praise  is  due  to  the  skilful  and  attentive  surgeon,  Dr. 
O'Connell,  for  his  faithful  discharge  of  duty,  his  care  of  the  men ; 
and  perhaps  the  highest  praise  will  be  found  in  the  fact  that  in  the 
hospital  were  but  four  patients,  all  convalescent." 

Dr.  Henry  I.  Bowditch,  of  Boston,  who  also  had  a  son, 
an  officer,  in  the  regiment,  visited  the  regiment  about  the  same 
time.  On  his  return,  the  Governor  requested  him  to  state,  in 
writing,  his  opinion  in  regard  to  the  regiment,  and  upon  the 
general  question  of  the  best  way  to  preserve  the  health  of  the 
soldiers  on  duty  in  the  extreme  Southern  States.  Of  the  condi 
tion  of  the  regiment,  he  fully  confirms  the  favorable  report  of 
it  made  by  Mr.  Rand.  He  says,  — 

"  The  drills  are  actively  carried  out,  and  the  highest  officers  in  the 
army  agree  that,  at  times,  they  are  equal  to  any  in  the  regular  cavalry. 
Three  times  a  week,  the  colonel  has  recitations,  at  which  the  highest 
principles  of  military  tactics  are  enforced.  To  sum  up  my  opinion  in 
one  sentence  :  I  have  very  near  and  dear  relatives,  and  many  young 
friends,  in  that  regiment ;  I  should  greatly  regret,  if,  from  any  cause, 
any  of  them  should  be  compelled  to  leave  the  service  of  such  a  com 
mander." 

Colonel  Williams,  at  the  time  of  his  appointment,  was  a 
captain  of  cavalry,  U.S.A.  He  was  a  graduate  of  West 
Point,  and  distinguished  as  a  cavalry  officer.  He  was  a  Vir 
ginian  by  birth,  but  never  hesitated  which  was  the  path  of  duty 
for  him  to  tread.  He  was  a  strict  disciplinarian,  but  he  was 
kind  to  his  men.  During  the  last  two  years  of  the  war, 
Colonel  Williams  was  assistant  adjutant-general  of  the  army, 
and  was  brevetted  brigadier-general,  for  brave  and  meritorious 
services. 

John  Quincy  Adams,  who  was  appointed  on  the  personal 
staff  of  the  Governor  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned  by  the 
resignation  of  Colonel  Horace  Binney  Sargent,  who  was  ap 
pointed  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  First  Massachusetts  Cavalry, 


COLONEL  j.  Q.  ADAMS'S  REPORT.  313 

was  directed  by  the  Governor,  in  September,  to  visit  the  Mas 
sachusetts  regiments  in  the  Department  of  North  Carolina,  and 
to  report  their  condition  on  his  return.  These  regiments  were 
the  Seventeenth,  Twenty-third,  Twenty-fourth,  Twenty-fifth, 
and  the  Twenty-seventh.  The  Seventeenth  he  found  in  camp 
upon  a  fine  plain  across  the  river,  westward  from  Newbern.  It 
was  stationed  there  to  guard  the  ends  of  two  bridges  which 
span  the  river.  The  regiment  was  in  excellent  order,  and  the 
men  looked  hardy  and  cheerful,  and  were  under  the  command 
of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Fellows.  Colonel  Adams  requested  a 
report  showing  the  exact  condition  of  the  regiment  on  that 
day,  —  their  wishes,  wants,  notes,  or  information  in  any  way 
appertaining  to  their  condition,  —  in  order  that  he  might  lay 
the  same  before  the  Governor.  But  the  regiment  was  ordered 
on  an  expedition  up  the  Roanoke  River,  and  Lieutenant-Colo 
nel  Fellows  promised  to  send  the  report  home  by  mail. 
Colonel  Amory,  of  this  regiment,  had  been  for  some  time  act 
ing  as  brigadier-general.  Colonel  Adams  witnessed  a  review 
of  the  regiment,  and  afterwards  made  a  thorough  inspection  of 
each  company.  He  says,  — 

"  I  examined  every  musket  personally,  and  almost  every  equipment, 
and  can  say,  with  perfect  satisfaction  that  their  condition,  in  almost 
every  case,  was  admirable.  The  arms,  particularly,  were  as  clean  and 
bright  as  when  they  were  issued.  The  regiment  was  then  drilled  by 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Fellows  in  various  evolutions,  concluding  with  the 
drill  as  skirmishers,  in  all  which  the  men  showed  careful  and  faithful 
training,  and  most  commendable  proficiency." 

The  Twenty-third  Regiment,  Colonel  Kurtz,  had  been  sta 
tioned,  since  May  preceding,  in  the  town  of  Newbern  itself, 
where  it  performed  the  duties  of  provost  guard,  Colonel  Kurtz 
acting  as  provost-marshal.  He  could  not,  therefore,  speak  of 
the  condition  of  their  camp-equipage ;  but  the  barracks,  which 
he  visited,  were  clean  and  orderly,  and  the  appearance  of  the 
men  tidy  and  excellent.  He  also  reviewed  the  regiment,  and 
inspected  their  arms  and  equipments,  which  were  in  perfect 
order.  "Altogether,"  he  says,  "the  condition  of  the  regiment 
was  very  satisfactory,  and  reflects  great  credit  upon  their  of 
ficers." 


314  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

Colonel  Adams  next  visited  the  Twenty-fourth  Regiment, 
Colonel  Stevenson,  who  had  been  for  some  time  acting  as 
brigadier-general ;  and  the  command  had  devolved  upon  Lieu 
tenant-Colonel  Osborne.  The  regiment  was  in  camp  on  a  fine, 
dry  plain,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  town.  Every 
thing  was  in  perfect  order,  as  he  found  upon  careful  inspection 
of  the  arms  and  equipments,  and  of  the  camp.  "  Both 
officers  and  men  might  well  be  a  source  of  pride  to  the  Com 
monwealth." 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  day  of  his  stay  in  Newbern,  he 
rode  out  to  the  camp  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Kegiment,  Colonel 
Upton  ;  but  neither  he  nor  the  lieutenant-colonel  nor  the 
major  were  in  camp  at  the  time  ;  but  the  adjutant  was  there, 
and  with  him  he  examined  carefully  the  camp,  which  was  on  a 
fine,  beach  plain  of  very  large  extent,  and  admirably  adapted  for 
a  drill  and  parade  ground,  about  half  a  mile  from  the  centre  of 
Newbern,  and  westerly  from  the  camp  of  the  Twenty-fourth 
Regiment.  He  says,  —  * 

"  I  was  entirely  satisfied  with  the  appearance  of  the  camp,  and  the 
aspect  of  the  men.  Great  neatness  was  evident  in  the  cleanliness  of 
the  company  streets,  and  the  men  seemed  tidy,  cheerful,  and  contented. 
I  attended  a  dress  parade  of  this  regiment  with  General  Foster,  and 
found  their  appearance  admirable,  and  their  drill  excellent." 

Colonel  Adams  says  General  Foster  told  him,  — 

"  The  first  thing  an  officer  should  do  is  to  try  to  make  every  man  of 
his  regiment  a  dandy,  proud  of  his  appearance,  the  glitter  of  the  musket, 
and  the  polish  of  the  brass  on  his  equipments.  When  you  see  such  a 
man,  be  sure  he  is  a  good  soldier." 

The  Twenty-seventh  Regiment,  Colonel  Lee,  he  found 
under  the  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Lyman.  Colonel 
Lee  was  acting  as  brigadier-general.  There  were  only  five  com 
panies  in  camp,  the  remaining  five  being  engaged  in  picketing 
the  railroad  to  Beaufort,  and  thus  scattered,  in  small  squads, 
along  twenty  miles  of  road.  Colonel  Adams  could  not  see  them. 
Those  in  camp  looked  as  well  as  any  companies  he  had  seen. 

These  comprised  all  the  Massachusetts  regiments  in  that 
department ;  and  as  each  had  made  regular  reports  to  the 


APPOINTMENT    OF    ALLOTMENT    COMMISSIONERS.  315 

Adjutant-General  of  the  Commonwealth,  showing  their  exact 
condition,  nothing  more  was  necessary  to  be  done.  Colonel 
Adams  says,  — 

"  Major-General  Foster  repeatedly  assured  me,  that  he  considered 
them  as  good  as  any  regulars  in  the  army ;  and  he  was  never  weary  of 
extolling  the  energy,  efficiency,  accomplishments,  and  bravery  of  Mas 
sachusetts  officers,  and  the  intelligence,  docility,  discipline,  and  courage 
of  Massachusetts  privates." 

Colonel  Adams  concludes  his  report  in  these  words  :  — 

"  I  was  much  impressed  with  the  untiring  energy  and  interest  with 
which  General  Foster  looked  after  every  thing  within  his  reach ;  and 
I  was  pleased  at  the  high  commendation  he  bestowed  upon  Colonels 
Stevenson,  Amory,  and  Upton,  in  especial.  I  was  the  bearer  of  a 
recommendation  from  him  to  the  Secretary  of  war,  that  Colonels 
Amory  and  Stevenson  should  be  appointed  brigadier-generals.  He 
desired  me  to  solicit  your  recommendation  for  them  also." 

During  the  early  part  of  the  year  1862,  three  allotment  com 
missioners  were  appointed  by  the  President,  as  provided  by  acts 
of  Congress,  passed  July  22,  1861,  and  Dec.  24,  1861.  These 
acts  provided,  — 

First,  for  the  transmission,  free  of  expense,  of  portions  of 
the  soldiers'  pay  to  their  families  or  friends,  as  had  been  done 
under  the  half-pay  system  in  the  navy. 

Second,  for  the  appointment,  by  the  President,  for  each 
State  which  chose  to  adopt  this  system,  of  three  commissioners, 
without  pay,  who  should  visit  the  troops,  and  invite  each  soldier 
to  avail  himself  of  this  opportunity. 

In  February,  1862,  President  Lincoln,  upon  the  recom 
mendation  of  Governor  Andrew,  appointed,  as  commissioners 
for  Massachusetts  ;  Henry  Edwards,  of  Boston  ;  Frank  B.  Fay, 
of  Chelsea  ;  and  David  Wilder,  Jr.,  of  Newton.  They  imme 
diately  proceeded  to  visit  all  the  Massachusetts  volunteers,  —  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  General  McClellan ;  in  the 
Shenandoah  Valley,  under  General  Banks  ;  and  at  Warrenton, 
under  General  McDowell :  and,  when  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac  moved  to  James  River,  they  accompanied  it  to  Fortress 


316  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLION. 

Monroe,  and  to  Yorktown.  Allotments  were  made  by  the 
First,  Second,  Seventh,  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  Thir 
teenth,  Fifteenth,  Sixteenth,  Eighteenth,  Nineteenth,  Twen 
tieth,  Twenty-second,  and  Thirty-second  Regiments,  and  the 
Third  and  Fifth  Light  Batteries,  and,  subsequently,  by  the 
Thirty-third,  Thirty-fourth,  Thirty-seventh,  Thirty-ninth,  and 
Forty-first  Regiments,  and  the  Ninth,  Tenth,  and  Eleventh 
Light  Batteries  ;  at  a  still  later  period,  allotment  rolls  were 
made  up  for  the  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  Sixth,  Eighth,  Forty- 
third,  Forty-fourth,  Forty-fifth,  Forty-sixth,  Forty-seventh, 
Forty-eighth,  Forty-ninth,  Fiftieth,  Fifty- second,  Fifty-third, 
Fifty-fourth,  and  Fifty-fifth  Regiments, —  making,  in  all,  forty- 
one  different  organizations  which  were  visited,  either  in  the  field, 
or  at  the  camps  at  home,  before  the  men  were  sent  forward.  The 
Legislature  of  Massachusetts  passed  an  act,  March  11,  1862, 
to  carry  out  more  perfectly  the  system  of  payments.  Mr.  J.  P. 
Wainwright,  as  a  volunteer  agent  of  the  commissioners,  aided  in 
getting  the  soldiers  to  make  allotments,  and,  in  the  fulfilment 
of  this  work,  visited  the  Massachusetts  regiments  in  the  De 
partment  of  the  Gulf.  Communications  were  made  by  the 
commissioners  to  the  officers  of  the  Massachusetts  regiments, 
pressing  upon  them  the  advantages,  to  the  soldiers  and  to  their 
families,  of  the  system.  No  allotments  were  received,  how 
ever,  from  regiments  not  visited,  except,  in  a  solitary  case,  of 
the  Twenty-fourth,  —  Colonel  Stevenson's  regiment.  Much 
of  the  success  in  securing  allotments  in  regiments  depended 
upon  the  interest  felt,  and  the  encouragement  given,  by  its 
officers.  For  instance,  in  one  company,  containing  eighty- 
three  men,  seventy-four,  following  the  example  of  a  worthy 
captain,  allotted  a  portion  of  their  pay ;  and  thirty-three  of 
these,  mostly  young  men,  placed  it  in  the  State  Treasury  on 
interest,  subject,  at  any  time,  to  their  order,  properly  approved 
by  the  commanding  officer  of  their  company  ;  and  two  regi 
ments  allotted  about  seven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  a 
month  each. 

The  allotment  system  was  simply  this  :  The  sums  allotted 
were  deducted  by  the  paymaster  on  each  pay-day,  and  forwarded 
to  the  State  Treasurer  for  distribution,  or  by  separate  checks  to 


ALLOTMENT    COMMISSIONERS.  317 

the  family,  according  to  the  system  adopted  by  the  State.  Our 
Massachusetts  system  proved  most  satisfactory,  as  it  avoided  all 
risk  of  chance  of  omission  by  transmission  of  a  check  by  mail, 
and  secured  payment  directly  to  the  family  at  home.  The  pay 
ments  to  the  soldiers,  from  the  General  Government,  were  to  be 
made  at  or  near  the  close  of  every  two  months,  commencing  with 
January.  But,  owing  to  sudden  or  hazardous  movements  and 
other  causes,  these  payments  were  often  delayed,  and  both  the 
men  and  their  families  were  much  distressed.  To  remedy  this 
evil,  —  in  part,  at  least,  —  and  secure,  if  possible,  the  retention 
of  a  large  share  of  the  soldiers'  wages  at  home,  the  Massachusetts 
Legislature,  in  1863,  at  the  suggestion  of  Governor  Andrew, 
passed  an  act,  authorizing  the  State  Treasurer  to  assume  the  pay 
ment  of  all  the  Massachusetts  volunteers,  provided  that  Congress 
would  permit  this  to  be  done.  For  some  reason,  permission  was 
not  given,  much  to  the  regret  of  the  soldiers  and  the  Massachu 
setts  authorities.  The  act  passed  by  the  Legislature  of  Mas 
sachusetts,  March  11,  1862,  provided  that  the  Treasurer  of 
the  Commonwealth  should  receive  and  distribute,  without  ex 
pense  to  the  soldiers  or  their  families,  all  money  which  our 
volunteers  might  forward  for  this  purpose ;  and  that  the  distri 
bution  should  be  made  to  parties  in  the  State  by  the  Treasurer 
of  the  Commonwealth,  through  the  town  and  city  treasurers, 
who  were  to  notify  the  persons  to  whom  the  money  was  as 
signed,  and,  if  they  failed  to  call  for  it,  return  the  money  to 
the  State  Treasurer,  who  placed  it  on  interest,  until  further 
order  from  the  soldier.  Persons  living  out  of  the  State,  to 
whom  money  was  assigned,  were  to  be  notified ;  and,  upon  the 
return  of  a  proper  order  or  draft,  the  amount  was  forwarded, 
by  a  check  upon  a  bank  in  Boston  or  New  York,  as  would  best 
serve  the  interest  of  the  claimant.  In  many  cases,  the  money 
was  directed  by  the  soldier  to  be  placed  at  once  in  the  State 
Treasury,  where  it  drew  five  per  cent  interest,  thus  virtually 
making  the  State  Treasury  a  savings  bank. 

It  appears,  from  the  report  of  the  State  Treasurer  for  18< 
that  the  first  allotments  forwarded  to  him  were  in  April,  1862  ; 
and  that  — 


318  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  whole  amount,  for  that  year,  including  about 

$40,0.00,  placed  on  interest,  was $202,905.56 

In  1863,  including  $90,000  on  interest,  was .     .     .     .  698,297.76 

Also,  allotments  of  State  bounties 190,012.50 

In  1864  and  1865,  including  State  bounties  ....  2,144,136.65 

In  1866,  for  deposits  by  State  paymaster 2,294.65 


Total $3,237,647.12 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1866,  all  this  money,  excepting 
$76,269.15,  which  remained  on  interest  to  the  credit  of  eight 
hundred  and  seventy  soldiers,  had  been  distributed  ;  and  the  bal 
ance  awaited  the  appearance  of  the  men,  or  their  legal  representa 
tives,  to  whom  it  will  be  paid. 

It  is  evident,  from  these  figures,  that  the  system  of  allotment, 
and  the  very  able  and  satisfactory  manner  by  the  commissioners 
and  the  State  Treasurer,  was  of  very  great  utility.  It  secured 
to  many  men  and  to  their  families  much  money  which  would 
otherwise  have  been  wasted ;  and  it  induced  and  encouraged  a 
habit  of  saving,  the  effect  of  which  may  have  a  material,  bene 
ficial  influence  upon  those  who  practised  it.  It  also  lessened 
the  taxes  which  would  otherwise  have  been  imposed  upon  the 
Commonwealth.  To  the  members  of  Congress,  who  in 
augurated  this  admirable  system,  and  to  Governor  Andrew  and 
the  Legislature,  who  encouraged  it,  and  especially  to  the  com 
missioners,  who  gratuitously,  at  great  expense  of  time  and 
money,  performed  this  onerous  service,  the  soldiers  and  the 
State  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude. 

The  letters  written  by  the  Governor,  during  the  year,  relate 
chiefly  to  military  matters,  —  many,  in  the  early  part  of  the 
year,  to  the  appointment  of  regimental  and  company  officers. 
Governor  Andrew  had  established  a  rule  for  making  appoint 
ments,  from  which  he  seldom  departed  during  the  Kebellion. 
This  rule  was  based  upon  the  principle  of  selecting  the  best 
men  he  could  find,  without  regard  to  personal  or  political  affini 
ties.  Whenever  he  could  obtain  the  services  of  an  experienced 
and  educated  officer  to  command  a  Massachusetts  regiment,  he 
commissioned  him.  The  selection  of  officers  for  commands  he 


APPOINTMENTS   BY   THE    GOVERNOR.  319 

regarded  as  the  most  solemn  duty  which  the  war  imposed  on 
him.  We  have  often  heard  him  say,  when  asked  to  appoint 
persons  whose  claims  upon  his  favor  were  based  upon  the  fact 
that  the  candidate  and  his  family  exercised  a  local,  political  in 
fluence,  — 

"  Such  considerations  impress  me  with  no  force.  The  appoint 
ment  is  in  no  manner  a  political  one.  The  man  I  shall  commission  is 
he  who  can  best  command  his  men,  care  for  their  health,  lead  them 
bravest  in  battle,  and,  by  his  intelligence  and  capacity,  save  life  and  limb 
from  needless  sacrifice.  This  I  owe  alike  to  the  men  themselves,  to 
their  families  they  leave  behind,  and  to  common  humanity." 

Of  course,  he  did  not,  at  all  times,  make  the  best  choice ;  but 
he  endeavored  to,  and  thought  he  had  succeeded.  We  remem 
ber  one  rather  remarkable  case,  where  the  Governor  erred  in 
making  selection  of  a  captain  in  the  Twenty-second  Regiment. 
The  Governor  believed  the  person  whom  he  selected  to  be  best 
fitted  for  the  command.  The  Adjutant-General  believed,  and 
so  reported,  that  the  gentleman  who  was  to  be  a  lieutenant 
in  the  company  should  be  made  captain.  The  Governor,  how 
ever,  did  not  change  from  his  original  purpose  ;  and  the  commis 
sions  were  made  out  as  originally  determined  upon.  The 
person  commissioned  captain  never  attained  higher  rank :  the 
one  commissioned  lieutenant  rose  to  be  a  major-general  of  vol 
unteers,  and  gained  a  reputation  second  to  none,  as  an  able  and 
accomplished  volunteer  commander,  in  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac, —  we  refer  to  Major-General  Nelson  A.  Miles,  now  colo 
nel  of  infantry  in  the  United-States  army,  who  began  his  military 
career  as  first  lieutenant  in  the  Massachusetts  Twenty-second 
Regiment,  and  whose  military  record  reflects  great  honor  upon 
his  native  State. 

Governor  Andrew,  however,  seldom  erred  in  his  judgment  of 
men  ;  and  we  have  no  question  that  the  officers  selected  by  him 
will  bear  a  favorable  comparison  with  those  of  any  other  State. 
When  a  vacancy  occurred  after  the  regiment  left  the  State,  his 
rule  was  to  wait  until  a  recommendation  of  a  person  to  fill  the 
vacancy  was  received  from  the  officer  in  command  of  the 
regiment,  which  recommendation  required  the  approval  and 


320  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

indorsement  of  the  officer  in  command  of  the  brigade.     If  the 

O 

person  recommended  appeared,  by  the  roster,  to  be  junior  to 
others  of  the  same  rank,  the  colonel  was  written  to  for  his 
reasons  for  deviating  from  the  military  rule  of  seniority  :  if  the 
reasons  returned  were  satisfactory  and  properly  indorsed,  the 
promotion  was  made,  and  the  commission  issued ;  but,  if 
the  reasons  given  were  not  satisfactory,  —  if  they  disclosed  favor 
itism,  family  influence,  or  unjust  prejudice, — the  appointment 
was  not  made,  but  the  officer  properly  in  the  line  of  promotion 
was  commissioned.  The  Governor's  mind  was  eminently  just ; 
he  despised  trickery  and  treachery,  and  all  the  small  devices  to 
which  mean  natures  resort  to  gain  their  ends. 

On  the  llth  of  January,  the  Governor  writes  to  Montgomery 
Blair,  Postmaster-General,  calling  his  attention  to  a  bill  re 
ported  in  the  United  -  States  Senate  by  Senator  Wilson, 
"providing,  among  other  things,  that  vacancies  occurring  in 
regiments  of  volunteers  mustered  into  the  United-States  service 
shall  be  filled  by  presidential  appointment,"  and  gives  strong 
reasons  why  it  should  not  become  a  law.  He  concludes  by  say- 


"  It  is  simply  impossible  that  the  volunteer  officers  can  be  well  se 
lected  at  Washington.  I  make  mistakes,  make  some  exceptionable 
appointments,  find  it  out,  and  try  to  avoid  similar  errors  again ;  and  I 
know  how  difficult  is  the  task.  Knowing  its  difficulty,  I  write  you  this 
note,  though  the  passage  of  the  bill  would  relieve  me  personally  from 
much  irksome  and  anxious  duty." 

The  bill  here  referred  to  never  became  a  law  ;  and  appointments 
continued  to  be  made  by  the  Governors  of  States,  until  the  end 
of  the  war.  On  the  same  day,  he  writes  a  long  and  interesting 
letter  to  Major-General  McClellan,  thanking  him  for  the  "  as 
surance  of  your  valuable  aid  in  establishing  our  coast  defences, 
furnishing  instructors  for  our  volunteer  artillerists,"  and  asking 
his  influence  to  have  a  company  accepted,  "the  rank  and  file  of 
which  will  be  mechanics,  riggers,  carpenters,  smiths,  £c., 
for  the  special  duty  of  garrisoning  Fort  Independence,  putting 
the  fort  in  order,  mounting  and  serving  the  guns."  This  com 
pany  was,  long  afterwards,  raised  and  accepted,  of  which  Ste- 


CORRESPONDENCE  OF  THE  GOVERNOR.         321 

phen  Cabot  was  commissioned  captain,  and  became  the  nucleus 
of  the  Fort  Warren  Battalion. 

On  the  13th  of  January,  the  Governor  writes  three  letters, 
in  regard  to  our  coast  defences,  —  one  to  the  President,  one  to 
our  Senators  and  Representatives  in  Congress,  and  one  to  Secre 
tary  Seward,  —  in  which  he  argued  the  importance  of  the  subject, 
and  that  the  General  Government  authorize  it  to  be  done  by 
the  State,  as  "  the  State  can  do  it  with  more  expedition  and 
economy  than  it  can  be  done  otherwise."  These  letters  were 
taken  to  Washington  by  Colonel  Charles  Amory,  master  of 
ordnance  of  Massachusetts. 

Jan.  18.  —  Colonel  Browne,  by  direction  of  the  Governor, 
writes  to  Henry  N.  Hooper,  of  Boston,  respecting  an  exchange 
of  prisoners  :  — 

"  Every  thing  that  the  Governor  can  do  by  prayers,  entreaties,  argu 
ments,  and  remonstrances,  to  induce  the  Federal  Government  to  do 
justice  to  our  prisoners  by  instituting  a  proper  system  of  regular  ex 
changes,  has  been  done  in  vain.  The  Federal  Administration  have 
obstinately  refused  to  institute  such  a  system ;  and  it  is  only  by  indi 
vidual  effort  that  our  fellow-citizens  can  extricate  their  fathers, 
brothers,  and  sons  from  that  Southern  captivity." 

Jan.  22. —  Governor  writes  to  Hon.  Roscoe  Conkling, 
United-States  House  of  Representatives,  and  now  United- 
States  Senator  :  — 

"  I  have  received,  and  perused  with  lively  gratification,  your  speech, 
delivered  on  the  6th  inst.  For  its  lofty  eloquence,  and  its  tribute  to 
the  valor  and  devotedness  of  our  soldiers,  —  particularly  of  the  men 
of  the  Fifteenth  and  Twentieth  Regiments,  —  I  beg  to  tender  you  the 
homage  of  respectful  and  hearty  gratitude." 

Jan.  27.  —  Governor  writes  to  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  who  was 
recently  appointed  Secretary  of  War,  in  place  of  Mr.  Cam 
eron,  — 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  introduce  John  M.  Forbes,  Esq.,  of  Boston, 
one  of  the  most  eminent  citizens  and  business  men  of  Massachusetts. 
He  takes  great  interest  in  the  subject  of  coast  defences,  of  which  Mr. 
Seward  wrote  me,  last  October,  but  which,  I  believe,  is  now  in  the  care 
of  your  department.  It  is  very  desirable  that  Massachusetts  should  act 

21 


322  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

promptly  in  every  way  in  which  her  action  is  needful ;  and  I  desire  not 
to  be  remiss  in  any  duty,  but  rather  to  anticipate  than  delay.  Any 
views  imparted  to  Mr.  Forbes  would  be  received  for  the  common 
good." 

Same  day,  to  Hon.  Salmon  P.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the  Treas 
ury  :  — 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  give  notice,  that  Massachusetts  assumes,  and 
will  pay,  her  quota  of  the  direct  national  tax  ;  and  I  inclose  you  a  copy 
of  the  resolve  of  the  General  Court,  giving  me  authority  to  that 
end." 

Keference  having  been  made,  in  the  newspapers,  to  the  letter 
written  by  General  Butler,  reflecting  upon  the  personal  charac 
ter  of  Colonel  Powell  T.  Wyman,  of  the  Sixteenth  Regiment, 
and  the  answer  which  the  Governor  made  to  it,  it  would  ap 
pear  that  Colonel  Wyman,  on  the  24th  of  January,  wrote  to 
the  Governor,  as  we  find  a  letter  written  by  the  Governor, 
Jan.  27,  to  Colonel  Wyman,  from  which  we  extract  the  essen 
tial  part :  — 

"  Nothing  contained  in  General  Butler's  letter  lessens  my  estima 
tion  of  your  qualities  as  a  soldier  and  a  gentleman ;  nor,  to  my  knowl 
edge,  is  there  any  officer  connected  with  my  staff  who  entertains  any 
other  feeling  towards  you  than  such  as  was  manifested  continually  dur 
ing  your  intercourse  with  us,  while  organizing  your  regiment.  I  have 
heard  but  one  expression  of  sentiment  with  regard  to  the  affair ;  and 
that  has  been  of  very  cordial  sympathy  with  you,  under  the  infliction 
of  so  wanton,  unprovoked,  and  unmerited  an  attack." 

On  the  30th  of  January,  the  Governor  was  suddenly  called 
to  Washington,  and  was  absent  about  ten  days.  It  was  while 
in  Washington  at  this  time  that  the  troops  raised  by  General 
Butler  in  Massachusetts  were  placed  in  the  charge  of  the  Gov 
ernor,  and  the  irregular  and  illegal  manner  of  raising  regiments 
ended ;  and  the  "  Department  of  New  England "  was  discon 
tinued. 

In  January  and  February,  persons  representing  themselves 
recruiting  officers  for  a  Maryland  regiment  came  to  Boston,  and, 
by  their  misrepresentations  of  large  pay  and  little  service,  in 
duced  some  thirty  or  forty  men  to  enlist,  and  go  with  them  to 


LETTER   OF   COLONEL   DUDLEY.  323 

Baltimore.  Upon  arriving  there,  they  found  how  miserably 
they  had  been  imposed  upon.  The  promises  held  out  were  de 
lusive,  and  the  men  whom  they  had  trusted  were  cheats.  They 
were  left  without  money  to  support  themselves  ;  and  many  letters 
were  received  by  the  Governor  and  the  Adjutant-General,  asking 
that  transportation  be  furnished  to  return  to  Massachusetts. 
Strenuous  efforts  were  made  by  the  Governor  to  have  the  men 
released  from  the  trap  in  which  they  had  been  caught.  We 
find  among  his  letters,  at  this  time,  many  relating  to  this  unfor 
tunate  occurrence.  He  wrote  to  General  Dix,  then  command 
ing  at  Baltimore  ;  to  the  Secretary  of  War  ;  to  our  members  of 
Congress  ;  to  the  Governor  of  Maryland  ;  and  to  the  men  them 
selves.  In  a  letter  to  one  of  our  members  of  Congress,  he 
thus  describes  the  transaction  :  — 

"  It  has  been  done  by  the  most  dishonorable  and  outrageous  fraud  ; 
and  my  efforts  have  been  baffled,  and  these  men  and  others  have  been 
entrapped  into  organizations  in  which  they  find  only  discomfort  and 
misery  ;  and  I  think  that  their  condition  appeals  strongly  to  the  sym 
pathy,  as  well  as  to  the  sense  of  justice,  of  the  War  Department." 

He  had  the  satisfaction  in  a  few  weeks  to  know  that  his 
efforts  had  been  successful.  The  men  were  released,  and  after 
wards  enlisted  in  Massachusetts  regiments. 

Feb.  18.  — The  Governor  writes  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  — 

"I  am  informed  by  Colonel  Dudley,  that,  from  conversations  he 
has  had  with  Major-General  Butler,  he  is  satisfied,  and  feels  it  his  duty 
to  report  to  me,  that,  if  I  commission  any  other  person  than  Mr.  Jonas 
H.  French  as  lieutenant-colonel,  he  will  compel  him  (Colonel  Dud 
ley)  to  recognize  Mr.  French  as  such,  and  to  repudiate  the  gentleman 
I  appoint,  notwithstanding  the  commission.  Colonel  Dudley  states, 
that,  as  a  pretence  for  this  action,  General  Butler  states  to  him  that 
he  proposes  to  rely  on  Special  Order  No.  11,  of  the  current  series  of 
your  department,  which  is  of  course  inoperative,  so  far  as  it  under 
takes  to  designate  officers  over  a  body  of  men  which  it  rests  with  me 
alone  to  organize  by  the  appointment  of  commissioned  officers,  but 
which,  nevertheless,  Major-General  Butler  cites,  in  opposition  to  the 
law.  I  respectfully  suggest  to  you,  that  that  order  should  be  annulled, 
and  that  General  Butler  should  receive,  from  his  commander-in-chief, 
directions  suitable  to  the  occasion,  and  to  the  demeanor  thus  assumed 
by  him." 


324  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Colonel  Dudley,  who  is  here  mentioned,  was  a  captain  in  the 
United-States  army,  —  a  Massachusetts  man,  —  and  had  been 
commissioned  by  the  Governor  colonel  of  the  Thirtieth  Regi 
ment. 

At  this  time,  the  Governor  had  offered  the  lieutenant-col 
onelcy  of  the  regiment  to  William  S.  Lincoln,  of  Worcester ; 
but,  from  some  cause,  a  change  was  made,  and  William  W. 
Bullock,  of  Boston,  received  the  appointment,  and  served  with 
the  regiment  until  ill  health  compelled  him  to  resign,  Nov.  25, 
1863. 

The  following  is  the  answer  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  the 
letter  above  quoted  :  — 

"  This  Department  recognizes  the  right  of  a  Governor  to  commis 
sion  volunteer  officers.  If  General  Butler  assumes  to  control  your 
appointment,  or  interfere  with  it,  he  will  transcend  his  authority,  and 
be  dealt  with  accordingly.  The  Adjutant- General  will  transmit  to 
General  Butler  an  order  that  will  prevent  his  improper  interference 
with  your  legitimate  authority." 

Feb.  19. — The  Governor  telegraphed  Hon.  John  B.  Al 
ley,  member  of  Congress, — 

"  The  gentlemen  said  to  have  been  designated  by  the  President,  as 
allotment-commissioners  for  Massachusetts  troops,  have  received  no 
notice  of  their  appointment.  Will  you  ascertain  why,  and  see  that 
notice  is  immediately  forwarded  ?  Telegraph,  if  you  succeed." 

Feb.  20.  —  The  Governor's  private  secretary,  Colonel  Browne, 
writes  to  Colonel  Dudley,  — 

"  Governor  Andrew  directs  me  to  inclose  to  you  the  within  photo 
graphic  likeness  of  the  young  gentleman,  Mr.  Joseph  W.  Morton,  of 
Quincy,  of  whom  he  spoke  to  you,  and  who  is  acting  as  a  non-com 
missioned  officer  in  the  Thirtieth  Regiment.  He  hopes  you  may  find 
him  qualified  to  be  recommended  for  appointment  to  a  first  or  second 
lieutenancy.  He  is  represented  to  be  a  person  of  careful  education, 
extensive  travel,  and  general  capacity." 

It  is  proper  to  state  here,  that  the  Thirtieth  and  Thirty-first 
Regiments  of  Infantry,  recruited  by  General  Butler  in  this 


FORT    WARREN    BATTALION.  325 

Commonwealth,  and  originally  designated  by  him  as  the  East 
ern  and  Western  Bay-State  Eegiments,  were  sent  from  the 
State  to  Louisiana  without  a  single  commissioned  officer.  Per 
sons  selected  by  General  Butler  had  been  designated  by  him  to 
act  as  officers.  As  many  of  these  persons  acted  in  good  faith, 
and  were  believed  to  be  competent  to  command  men,  Colonel 
Dudley,  of  the  Thirtieth,  and  Colonel  Gooding,  also  an  army 
officer,  who  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Thirty-first,  were 
directed  by  the  Governor,  upon  joining  their  regiments  in 
Louisiana,  to  make  a  careful  examination  of  the  qualifications 
of  the  gentlemen  acting  as  officers,  and  to  report  to  him  the 
names  of  those  who  were  qualified,  that  they  might  receive  their 
commissions.  This  duty  was  performed,  and,  in  due  time,  the 
officers  were  properly  commissioned.  The  young  gentleman, 
Mr.  Morton,  referred  to  in  the  above  letter,  was  afterwards 
commissioned  by  the  Governor  in  one  of  the  cavalry  companies 
raised  by  General  Butler,  and  serving  in  the  Department  of 
the  Gulf.  He  was  a  good  officer,  and  died  at  his  home  in 
Quincy,  before  the  end  of  the  war,  from  disease  contracted  in 
the  service. 

Feb.  20.  — The  Governor  writes  to  Mr.  Stanton,  - — 

"  I  earnestly  desire  authority  to  change  the  battalion  at  Fort  War 
ren  to  a  regiment.  It  consists  of  six  companies,  and  needs  the  staff 
officers  pertaining  to  a  regiment.  Major  Parker  has  repeatedly  urged 
this,  and  is  by  my  side  while  now  writing." 

The  battalion  here  spoken  of  was  raised  by  Francis  J. 
Parker,  of  Boston,  for  garrison  duty  at  Fort  Warren,  and 
remained  there  until  the  retreat  of  General  McClellan,  in  the 
summer  of  1862,  from  before  Richmond,  when  it  was  sent 
forward  to  the  front,  at  a  day's  notice,  to  meet  the  pressing  exi 
gency,  which  then  existed,  for  additional  forces.  Previous  to 
this  time,  Mr.  Stanton  persistently  refused  to  allow  the  bat 
talion  to  be  recruited  to  a  regiment.  After  it  had  left  the  State 
for  the  seat  of  war,  permission  was  given,  and  four  new  com 
panies  were  added  to  it,  and  it  was  designated  and  known,  to 
the  end  of  the  war,  as  the  Thirty-second  Regiment,  Massachu 
setts  Volunteers. 


326  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Feb.  27. — The  Governor  writes  to  Colonel  Tompkins,  United- 
States  Quartermaster  at  New  York,  — 

"  The  Rev.  A.  L.  Stone,  pastor  of  the  Park-street  Church  in  this 
city,  desires  to  visit  Port  Royal  for  the  purpose  of  gathering  informa 
tion  concerning  the  moral  and  spiritual  condition  of  the  *  contrabands ' 
in  that  quarter.  He  is  a  suitable  person  to  accomplish  such  a  mis 
sion.  May  I  hope  that  you  will  do  what  you  can  to  facilitate  Mr. 
Stone's  transit  to  and  from  Port  Royal  ?  " 

Feb.  28.  — The  Governor  writes  to  the  Adjutant-General  of 
Massachusetts,  — 

"  I  have  just,  this  afternoon,  had  time  to  read  your  interesting 
report,  and  I  beg  you  would  do  what  it  reminds  me  of;  namely,  send 
to  Captain  Davis,  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  learn  what  is  the  present 
state  of  his  company.  General  McClellan  agreed  to  change  it  to 
artillery  ;  but  as  yet  I  have  received  no  orders  about  it." 

This  letter  refers  to  the  report  made  by  the  Adjutant-General 
of  his  visit  to  the  front,  of  which  an  abstract  is  given  in  pre 
ceding  pages  in  this  chapter. 

March  3.  — The  Governor  addressed  a  letter  to  Hon.  A.  H. 
Bullock,  Speaker  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  calling  his 
attention  to  a  general  order  issued  that  day  by  the  Adjutant 
General  of  the  State,  concerning  three  rebel  flags  taken  at 
the  battle  of  Roanoke  Island  by  the  Massachusetts  regiments, 
and  says, — 

"  Such  trophies  are  always  prized  by  the  soldier.  They  are  earnest 
proofs  of  his  efforts  and  achievements  in  the  performance  of  his  peril 
ous  duties.  I  confess  that  I  received  these  with  the  utmost  sympathy ; 
and  I  can  but  pay  to  the  men  who  won  that  day  my  humble  but  hearty 
and  admiring  gratitude." 

The  Governor  then  states  that  the  House  of  Representatives 
would  probably  like  to  pay  to  our  soldiers  the  honor  of  having 
the  flags  displayed  for  a  time  in  their  hall,  and  that  any  direc 
tion  as  would  enable  this  to  be  done  he  would  gladly  concur  in. 
The  flags  were  subsequently  presented  to  the  House,  and  were 
displayed  there  until  the  end  of  the  session. 

March  3.  —  The  Governor  writes  to  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Fitz- 
patrick  that  he  had  no  power  "to  order  private  McDonald's  , 


FUNERAL  OF  GENERAL  LANDER.  327 

discharge :  that  rests  alone  with  the  Federal  authorities.  I 
will,  however,  be  happy  to  unite  with  you  in  presenting  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,  or  the  General-in-chief  of  the  army,  any 
statement  of  reasons  for  requesting  the  discharge  which  is 
desired." 

March  4.  — The  Governor  writes  to  Colonel  Kurtz,  Twenty- 
third  Regiment,  at  Newbern,  N.C., — 

"I  wish  to  learn  the  place  of  burial  of  James  H.  Boutell,  late 
private  in  Co.  K,  Twenty-third  Regiment.  He  died  in  the  service, 
and  is  supposed  to  have  been  buried  at  Hatteras  ;  also,  the  best  means 
for  his  friends  to  get  his  remains  to  Massachusetts.  His  wife,  Mrs.  Abbie 
P.  Boutell,  resides  in  Wrentham." 

March  9. — The  Governor  writes  to  Mr.  Stanton,  Secretary 
of  War,  - 

"I  beg  leave  to  report  to  you,  that  the  honor  you  paid  to  the 
memory  of  General  Lander,  by  causing  his  remains  to  be  returned, 
under  a  suitable  escort,  to  his  native  State,  was  rendered  complete  by 
the  faithful  and  decorous  manner  in  which  the  sad  duty  was  fulfilled 
by  Captain  Barstow,  and  the  officers  and  soldiers  accompanying  him. 
The  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts,  and  the  city  of  Salem,  the 
place  of  General  Lander's  nativity,  have  received  with  much  sensi 
bility  the  manifestation  of  grateful  respect,  on  the  part  of  the  War 
Department,  toward  a  soldier  and  gentleman  whose  fame,  now  a  part 
of  his  country's  history,  is  one  of  the  precious  possessions  of  those 
from  whom  he  went  forth  to  her  service  and  defence.  His  body  now 
rests  in  silence  beneath  the  soil  on  which  his  youth  was  spent,  and  to 
which  it  was  committed  with  every  demonstration  of  regard  on  the 
part  of  the  executive  and  legislative  branches  of  the  government  of 
the  Commonwealth,  and  on  the  part  of  the  municipality  of  Salem,  in  the 
presence  of  many  thousands  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  with  appropriate 
military  honors.  With  the  fervent  hope  that  we  who  survive  him,  and 
are  charged  with  leadership  in  our  patriotic  army,  will  vindicate  on  the 
field  an  equal  title  with  his  to  gratitude  and  admiration,  and  with 
sentiments  of  the  utmost  regard,  I  am,  sir,  ever 
"  Your  obedient  and  humble  servant, 

"  JOHN  A.  ANDREW,   Governor  of  Massachusetts" 

No  words  of  ours  can  add  to  the  respect  and  esteem  with 
which  General  Lander  was  held  by  the  people  of  this  Common- 


328  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

wealth ;  and  no  words  of  eulogy  can  be  added  which  would  give 
significance  and  strength  to  the  letter  we  have  just  quoted. 

March  28. — The  Governor  wrote  to  Mr.  Fox,  Assistant 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  by  which  it  appears  that  Mr.  Fox  had 
sent  to  the  Governor  a  copy  of  a  letter  "  taken  out  of  a 
pocket  of  a  secesh  pea-jacket"  by  Commodore  D.  D.  Porter, 
commanding  the  fleet  at  the  mouth  of  the  Mississippi  River, 
and  which  related  to  a  Mrs.  Sarah  A.  Blich,  of  Holmes  Hole, 
who,  it  appeared,  had  been  giving  information  to  the  rebels  at 
New  Orleans.  Inquiry  was  made  by  the  Governor,  and  it  was 
ascertained  that  a  person  of  that  name  resided  there.  He 
writes,  — 

"  Sfye  is  a  native  of  New  Orleans,  and  was  married  to  Blich  last 
spring.  Her  maiden  name  was  Sarah  A.  Stickney.  She  has  a 
brother  in  the  South,  named  William  Stickney,  who  is  undoubtedly 
the  writer  of  the  letter  in  question.  Her  husband,  Blich,  is  a  sea 
faring  man,  and  sailed  recently  on  a  voyage  to  Rio  Janeiro ;  he  has 
a  brother  who  keeps  a  jewelry  shop  at  Holmes  Hole,  and  is  now  there. 
Mrs.  Blich  is  known  to  have  used  very  violent  language  of  a  treasona 
ble  character  during  the  progress  of  the  rebellion,  and  is  believed  by 
my  informants  to  be  disposed  to  aid  the  rebels  by  information  or  other 
wise.  My  informants  think  it  more  than  probable  that  she  has  been 
a  medium  of  communication  with  the  rebels  as  intimated  in  her 
brother's  letter.  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  who  is  the  per 
son  named  f  Dora,'  to  whom  the  letter  is  addressed ;  but  I  expect 
within  a  few  days  to  obtain  information  on  that  point  also." 

Nothing  further  in  relation  to  this  matter  appears  in  the  Gov 
ernor's  correspondence. 

On  the  ninth  day  of  April,  the  Governor  writes  to  Colonel 
Frank  E.  Howe,  New  York,  that  Surgeon-General  Dale  had 
made  arrangements  by  which  to  have  an  ambulance  kept  at  the 
city  stables,  and  that  city  horses  would  be  furnished,  without 
expense,  to  be  used  for  our  wounded  soldiers,  whenever 
required.  An  ambulance,  therefore,  was  purchased  ;  and  Colo 
nel  Howe  was  authorized  to  purchase  one,  to  be  used  for  our 
wounded  in  New  York. 

April  8.  —  The  Governor  writes  to  the  President  of  the 
United  States  :  — 


LETTER    TO    PRESIDENT    LINCOLN.  329 

"  I  have  the  honor,  by  the  hand  of  Hon.  Francis  W.  Bird,  who  is 
specially  deputed  therefor,  to  place  in  your  hands  an  engrossed  copy 
of  the  resolves  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  in  approval  of 
your  recent  message  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  in  favor  of 
national  co-operation  with  any  State  of  this  Union,  in  the  abolishment 
of  slavery.  I  deem  it  due  to  the  solemnity,  interest,  and  importance 
of  the  occasion,  and  to  the  earnest  devotion  of  this  ancient  Common 
wealth,  alike  to  the  Union,  the  fame,  and  the  happiness  of  these  States 
and  people,  as  well  as  to  her  hereditary  love  of  liberty,  that  this  ex 
pression  of  her  hearty  concurrence  with  your  great  act,  should  receive 
the  most  formal  and  cordial  utterance.  ...  I  devoutly  pray  that  the 
good  providence  of  God  will  conduct  your  administration  and  this 
nation  through  all  the  perils  they  encounter,  and  establish  our  country 
on  eternal  foundations  of  impartial  justice  to  all  her  people." 

April  9. — The  Governor  telegraphs  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,— 

"  Accept  my  congratulations  on  victories  at  Corinth,  and  the  Mis 
sissippi.  Do  you  desire  extra  surgeons  from  Massachusetts  for  the 
care  of  wounded,  there  or  elsewhere  ?  If  so,  there  are  several  here, 
of  professional  eminence,  who,  under  the  direction  of  our  State  Sur 
geon-General,  are  prepared  to  start  immediately  to  any  point  of  active 
operations,  giving  their  professional  services  gratuitously,  from  motives 
of  patriotism." 

April  12.  —  The  Governor  writes  to  General  Burnside,  at 
North  Carolina,  congratulating  him  upon  his  well-deserved  pro 
motion,  which  has  given  "  sincere  as  well  as  universal  pleasure." 
He  then  refers  to  a  letter  which  he  had  received  from  Brigadier- 
General  Foster,  that  seven  hundred  and  fifty  recruits  were 
needed  to  supply  the  losses  in  the  four  Massachusetts  regiments 
in  his  brigade.  But  just  at  this  time,  an  order  had  been  issued 
from  the  War  Department,  discontinuing  recruiting  in  every 
State,  and  requiring  recruiting  parties  to  close  their  offices,  and 
join  their  regiments.  The  Governor  telegraphed  to  Mr.  Stanton 
for  permission  to  recruit  for  the  Massachusetts  regiments  under 
General  Foster,  and  leave  was  granted.  At  this  time,  the  gen 
eral  superintendence  of  recruiting,  in  the  different  States,  had 
passed  into  the  hands  of  the  War  Department ;  and  army  offi 
cers  were  detailed,  in  various  States,  as  military  commanders, 
who  assumed  control  of  all  enlistments,  mustering,  subsistence, 


330  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

and  transportation  of  men.  The  military  commander  in  Massa 
chusetts,  in  April,  1862,  was  Colonel  Hannibal  Day,  U.S.A. 

This  change  in  mode  of  recruiting  was  not  satisfactory  at 
first;  but,  after  it  was  in  operation  some  time,  certain  modifi 
cations  were  made  by  the  War  Department,  and  the  State 
and  United-States  authorities  worked  in  harmony  together. 
The  men  asked  for  by  General  Foster  were  soon  recruited,  and 
forwarded  to  North  Carolina. 

April  19.  — The  Governor  writes  to  Mr.  Chase,  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  calling  his  attention  to  a  communication  of  the 
Treasurer  of  Massachusetts,  which  he  inclosed  to  him,  and 
says, — 

"  The  prominent  fact  to  which  I  beg  to  allude  with  emphasis  is,  that, 
after  the  passage  of  the  tax  act,  we  very  much  more  than  paid  our  share 
of  it  by  heavy  expenditures,  made  at  Mr.  Cameron's  request,  and  on 
which  we  are  losing  the  interest.  I  ask,  therefore,  that  at  least  as  much 
as  the  amount  of  the  tax  assessed  on  Massachusetts  should  be  paid  to 
us  before  we  pay  this  tax.  This  is  safe  for  the  United  States,  and  only 
just  to  Massachusetts." 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
N"avy,  introducing  Hon.  Joel  Hayden,  of  the  Executive  Coun 
cil,  and  Edward  S.  Tobey,  President  of  the  Boston  Board 
of  Trade,  who  were  deputed  to  confer  with  him  in  relation  to 
iron-clad  ships.  These  gentlemen  had  a  plan  for  iron-plating 
four  steamers,  belonging  to  the  Government,  at  Charlestown 
and  the  Kittery  Navy  Yards,  which,  the  Governor  said,  "would 
render  them  invulnerable,  and  present  them  ready  for  action 
and  in  sea-going  trim  in  fifty  days.  If  those  vessels  be 
longed  to  us,"  he  continues,  "we  would  undertake  to  prepare 
some  of  them  for  service  in  this  way ;  but  they  belong  to  the 
United  States.  If  you  will  turn  over  to  us  one  or  two  of  them, 
we  will  be  glad  to  take  them,  and  have  the  work  done  ;  and  we 
desire  that  the  four  should  be  thus  treated."  The  proposi 
tion  here  made  was  not  complied  with. 

As  one  of  the  many  evidences  of  the  firmness  of  purpose  and 
justness  of  decision  of  Governor  Andrew,  we  give  an  extract 
from  a  letter,  dated  April  29,  to  Brigadier-General  Doubleday, 
then  on  duty  at  Washington.  A  lieutenant-colonel  of  one  of 


CASE    OF   COLONEL    OLIVER.  331 

our  regiments  had  been  accused,  by  the  colonel,  of  certain  de 
linquencies  ;  and  charges  were  preferred  to  bring  the  case  before 
a  court-martial.  In  a  hasty  and  inconsiderate  moment,  the 
lieutenant-colonel  resigned,  rather  than  stand  trial.  After  the 
resignation  was  accepted,  the  officer  repented  of  his  hasty  act, 
and  sought  to  be  restored  by  the  Governor.  Before  acting  upon 
this  request,  he  wrote  to  General  Doubleday,  to  make  inquiry 
into  the  charges,  and  inform  him  what  he  thought  of  them. 
From  this  letter  we  quote  :  — 

"While  I  feel  kindly  towards  Lieutenant-Colonel  Oliver,  I  wish  only 
for  exact  justice,  and  would  not  restore  him  to  the  regiment,  unless  he 
was  unjustly  accused.  I  am  jealous  of  the  honor  of  the  Massachusetts 
corps,  sensitive  to  every  thing  which  affects  them,  desirous  of  doing 
exactly  right,  hit  where  it  will.  The  matter  lies  in  a  narrow  compass ; 
and  I  wish  to  reach  a  speedy  conclusion,  founded  upon  a  basis  of  es 
tablished  proofs,  which  shall  satisfy  the  demands  of  justice,  truth,  and 
honor." 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Oliver  was  not  restored  to  the  regiment 
from  which  he  resigned,  but  was  afterwards  commissioned  ma 
jor  in  the  Second  Regiment  Heavy  Artillery,  which  shows  that 
the  Governor  had  been  satisfied  that  the  charges  against  him 
did  not  affect  his  standing  as  an  officer  and  gentleman. 

April  30.  —  The  Governor  received  the  following  despatch 
from  Major-General  Wool,  dated  — 

"HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  VIRGINIA, 
FORTRESS  MONROE,  April  29. 

"I  have  just  received  your  communication  of  the  26th  inst.  The 
Government  have  made  arrangements  to  send  the  sick  and  wounded 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  Washington,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia, 
New  York,  and  Boston.  Agents  have  been  detailed  to  superintend  for 
warding  them." 

This  is  the  first  despatch  received  at  the  State  House  in  rela 
tion  to  the  sick  and  wounded  of  General  McClellan's  army, 
from  which,  for  months  following,  the  brave  and  ghastly  suffer 
ers  of  that  memorable  campaign  returned,  to  fill  the  homes  of 
their  friends,  and  the  hospitals  of  the  Government,  In  con 
nection  with  these  wounded  and  suffering  men,  we  find  a  letter 
written  by  the  Governor,  May  1,  addressed  to  all  officers  of 


332  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Massachusetts  corps  volunteer  officers  in  the  field,  commending 
to  their  courtesy  and  co-operation  Dr.  Alfred  Hitchcock  and  his 
assistant,  Mr.  J.  W.  Wellman,  who  were  detailed  to  visit  the 
Massachusetts  troops  at  Yorktown,  Newbern,  or  elsewhere,  and 
to  render  such  aid  as  might  be  practicable  to  the  sick  and 
wounded  in  the  field  or  hospitals,  and  transporting  them  to 
their  homes.  Of  Dr.  Hitchcock's  services,  while  thus  detailed, 
we  have  already  spoken,  but  shall  have  reason  to  speak  of  them 
again,  when  he  visited,  by  direction  of  the  Governor,  the  san 
guinary  but  victorious  field  of  Antietam. 

The  first  mention  we  find,  in  the  Governor's  letters,  of 
raising  colored  troops,  is  in  a  letter  addressed  by  him  to 
Mr.  Francis  H.  Fletcher,  Pratt  Street,  Salem,  in  which  he 
says,  — 

"No  official  information  has  been  received  at  this  department  from 
the  United-States  Government,  concerning  the  plan,  which  is  now  men 
tioned  with  favor,  of  raising  colored  regiments  for  garrison  duty  in  the 
Gulf  and  cotton  States ;  nor  is  any  thing  known  at  this  department 
of  the  intentions  of  the  United-States  Government  in  that  regard,  beyond 
what  is  published  in  the  public  prints.  General  Saxton,  who  is  men 
tioned  in  the  newspapers  as  being  detailed  to  organize  such  a  force,  is 
a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  a  most  worthy  and  humane  gentleman, 
as  well  as  a  skilful  officer;  and,  if  the  report  is  correct,  it  is  a  very 
judicious  selection  for  such  a  duty  and  command." 

It  appears  that  Mr.  Fletcher  was  a  candidate  for  a  commis 
sion  in  such  regiments  ;  and  the  Governor  offered  him  a  letter 
to  General  Saxton,  and  such  other  assistance  as  was  in  his 
power,  to  obtain  what  he  desired. 

Dr.  Le  Baron  Russell,  of  Boston,  at  the  request  of  a  com 
mittee  of  teachers  and  other  friends  of  education  in  Massachu 
setts,  visited  Washington,  for  the  purpose  of  arranging  some 
plan,  under  the  sanction  of  the  Federal  authority,  to  enable 
Massachusetts  teachers  and  agents  to  participate  in  the  humane 
and  benevolent  work  of  improving  the  intellectual  and  moral 
condition  of  the  emancipated  slaves  within  certain  of  our  mili 
tary  posts.  He  carried  letters  from  the  Governor  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  and  other  official  persons,  highly  approving  the 
purpose  of  his  mission.  This  appears  to  have  been  the  com- 


LETTER   TO    THE    PRESIDENT.  333 

mencement  of  the  educational  labors  among  the  liberated  slaves, 
which  has  been  attended  with  so  much  good. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  the  Secretary  of  War  telegraphed  to  the 
Governor  to  know  if  he  could  raise  four  more  new  regiments  at 
short  notice,  to  which  he  replied  affirmatively ;  but,  in  the  letter 
expressing  his  readiness  to  comply  with  the  Secretary's  demand, 
he  says,  — 

"  If  our  people  feel  that  they  are  going  into  the  South  to  help  fight 
rebels,  who  will  kill  and  destroy  them  by  all  the  means  known  to  sav 
ages,  as  well  as  civilized  man,  —  will  deceive  them  by  fraudulent  flags 
of  truce  and  lying  pretences,  will  use  their  negro  slaves  against  them 
both  as  laborers  and  as  fighting  men,  while  they  themselves  must  never 
fire  at  the  enemy's  magazine,  —  I  think  that  they  will  feel  that  the 
draft  is  heavy  on  their  patriotism.  But,  if  the  President  will  sustain 
General  Hunter,  —  recognize  all  men,  even  black  men,  as  legally  capa 
ble  of  that  loyalty  the  blacks  are  waiting  to  manifest,  and  let  them  fight 
with  God  and  human  nature  on  their  side,  —  the  roads  will  swarm,  if 
need  be,  with  multitudes  whom  New  England  would  pour  out  to  obey  your 
call." 

A  copy  of  this  letter  was  sent  to  the  Governors  of  the  New- 
England  States,  in  the  thought  that  mutual  conference  might 
be  useful,  and  tend  to  unite  and  concentrate  opinion  in  New 
England  upon  the  subject  to  which  it  relates. 

On  the  25th  of  May,  received  from  Mr.  Stanton  the  follow 
ing  telegrams :  — 

"  Send  all  the  troops  forward  that  you  can,  immediately.  Banks  is 
completely  routed.  The  enemy  are,  in  large  force,  advancing  on  Har 
per's  Ferry." 

"  Intelligence  from  various  quarters  leaves  no  doubt  that  the  enemy, 
in  great  force,  are  advancing  on  Washington.  You  will  please  organ 
ize  and  forward  immediately  all  the  volunteer  and  militia  force  in  your 
State." 

Upon  the  receipt  of  these  telegrams,  orders  were  immediately 
issued  by  the  Adjutant-General  for  the  militia  of  the  Common 
wealth  to  report  at  once  for  duty  on  Boston  Common,  to  pro 
ceed  to  Washington ;  and  four  thousand  men  were  in  Boston, 
and  ready  to  start,  on  the  27th.  But,  on  the  morning  of  the 


334  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

27th,  the  Governor  received  the  following,  dated  midnight,  May 
26,  from  the  Secretary  of  War  :  — 

"  Two  despatches  have  been  received  from  General  Banks,  one  dated 
at  Martinsburg,  the  other  between  Martinsburg  and  Williamsport,  which 
state  that  he  has  saved  his  trains,  and  the  chief  part  of  his  command, 
and  expected  to  cross  the  Potomac  at  Williamsburg  in  safety.  We  hope 
he  may  accomplish  his  purpose." 

In  consequence  of  the  favorable  change  of  affairs  in  General 
Banks's  command,  the  order  to  send  forward  the  militia  was 
countermanded,  and  the  men  returned  to  their  homes,  most  of 
them  disappointed  that  they  were  not  to  go  forward. 

The  battalion  raised  for  garrison  duty  at  Fort  Warren,  com 
posed  of  six  companies  of  three  years'  men,  left,  on  the  27th,  for 
the  front,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Francis  J. 
Parker  ;  and  orders  were  received  to  recruit  four  new  companies, 
and  make  it  a  regiment,  which  was  speedily  done. 

This  was  what  was  called  afterwards  "the  great  scare,"  and 
many  people  blamed  Mr.  Stanton  for  the  semi-sensational  char 
acter  of  his  telegraph  messages.  They  certainly  created  the 
wildest  excitement  throughout  the  Commonwealth  ;  and  Boston, 
in  a  degree,  resembled  Edinburgh  on  receipt  of  the  fatal  news 
of  Flodden  Field. 

June  2.  —  Governor  telegraphs  General  Banks,  Williams- 
port,  Md.  :  — 

"Telegram  received  yesterday.  Surgeon- General  Dale  has  arranged 
to  supply  your  requisition  immediately.  I  greet  you  cordially.  All 
honor  to  our  brave  Massachusetts  men  ! " 

This  was  a  request  to  send  forward  additional  surgeons  to  take 
care  of  the  wounded  in  General  Banks's  command. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  the  Governor  wrote  Colonel  George  H. 
Gordon,  Second  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  who  had  command 
of  a  brigade  under  General  Banks, — 

"  Permit  me,  in  closing,  to  congratulate  you  upon  your  nomination 
to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  and  also  upon  the  brilliant  success 
achieved  by  the  withdrawal  of  our  forces,  with  so  little  loss,  from  the 
heart  of  the  enemy's  country,  and  against  a  force  so  completely  over 
whelming." 


DEPARTURE    OF    REGIMENTS.  335 

The  Governor  had  written,  the  clay  before,  to  Senator  Sum- 
ner,  in  favor  of  the  confirmation,  by  the  Senate,  of  Colonel 
Gordon's  nomination,  and  hoped  "it  would  be  unanimous." 

The  letters  written  by  the  Governor  from  the  first  of  Janu 
ary  to  the  first  of  July,  1862,  fill  five  volumes,  of  five  hundred 
pages  each  :  from  these  volumes  we  have  made  the  extracts  imme 
diately  preceding.  The  letters  in  these  volumes  relate  to  every 
matter  of  detail  connected  with  our  regiments  in  the  field,  the 
proceedings  of  the  Legislature,  recruiting  at  home,  coast  de 
fences,  building  monitors,  the  sick  and  wounded,  the  State  aid 
to  soldiers'  families,  the  selection  of  officers,  the  discipline  of 
the  army,  the  delay  of  the  Government  to  hasten  warlike  meas 
ures,  —  all  which,  though  of  great  and  lasting  interest,  are  too 
voluminous  even  to  name  by  their  titles  and  dates,  in  a  work 
like  this.  This  herculean  labor  of  correspondence  was  con 
tinued  by  the  Governor  until  the  end  of  the  war ;  and  he  re 
tired  from  the  gubernatorial  chair,  after  five  years  of  official 
service,  which  required  more  active  thought  and  exertion,  and 
was  freighted  with  higher  duties  and  responsibilities,  than  had 
been  imposed  upon  all  the  Governors  of  the  Commonwealth  in 
the  preceding  fifty  years. 

In  the  first  six  months  of  1862,  four  thousand  five  hundred 
and  eighty-seven  men  had  been  recruited  for  three  years'  ser 
vice,  and  sent  to  the  front ;  also,  a  company  of  light  artillery, 
known  as  Cook's  Battery,  which  was  mustered  in  for  six  months' 
service,  —  these  men  were  in  the  Thirtieth  Regiment ;  three 
companies  of  unattached  cavalry,  which  left  the  State  by  trans 
ports  for  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  Jan.  3,  1862  ;  three 
companies  of  infantry,  to  complete  the  organization  of  the 
Twenty-ninth  Regiment,  which  was  sent  forward,  Jan.  7,  to 
Fortress  Monroe ;  the  Twenty-eighth  Regiment,  which  left  the 
State  for  South  Carolina  vid  New  York,  Jan.  8  ;  the  Sixth  Bat 
tery,  which  sailed  from  Boston  for  Ship  Island,  Department  of 
the  Gulf,  Feb.  T^the  Thirty-first  Regiment,  which  sailed  in 
transport  for  Fortress  Monroe,  Feb.  21,  and  from  Fortress 
Monroe  to  Ship  Island,  Department  of  the  Gulf;  seven  com 
panies,  comprising  what  was  known  as  the  Fort  Warren  Battal 
ion,  and  afterwards  as  the  Thirty-second  Regiment,  which  were 


336  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

sent  forward  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  May  26  ;  two  com 
panies  for  the  Fourteenth  Regiment,  shortly  afterwards  changed 
to  the  First  Massachusetts  Heavy  Artillery,  which  were  sent  to 
join  the  regiment  in  Virginia,  March  1,  1862. 

One  company,  designated  the  First  Unattached  Company  of 
Heavy  Artillery,  was  enlisted  for  three  years,  for  service  in  the 
forts  in  Boston  Harbor,  of  which  Stephen  Cabot  was  commis 
sioned  captain.  On  the  twenty-sixth  day  of  May,  the  First 
Company  of  Cadets,  Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  C.  Holmes,  was 
mustered  into  the  service  to  take  the  place  of  the  Fort  Warren 
Battalion,  which  was  ordered  to  the  front  on  that  day.  The 
Cadets  remained  on  duty  until  July  1.  The  Second  Company 
of  Cadets,  of  Salem,  commanded  by  Captain  John  L.  Marks, 
was  mustered  in  May  26,  for  garrison  duty  in  the  forts  at 
Boston  Harbor,  and  was  mustered  out  Oct.  11.  The  company 
raised  by  Captain  E.  H.  Staten,  of  Salem,  was  also  mustered 
in  for  garrison  duty,  and  remained  on  duty  until  Jan.  1,  1863. 

In  addition  to  these  new  organizations,  which  were  mustered 
into  the  service  in  the  first  six  months  of  1862,  upwards  of 
three  thousand  volunteers  were  recruited,  and  sent  forward  to 
fill  the  ranks  of  the  Massachusetts  regiments  in  the  field.  It  was 
the  policy  of  Governor  Andrew  to  keep  the  regiments  in  the 
service  full,  rather  than  to  organize  new  regiments  while  the 
old  regiments  were  wanting  men.  In  pursuance  of  this  policy, 
seven  thousand  men  were  enlisted  during  the  year  1862,  as 
signed  to  regiments  in  the  field,  and  forwarded  to  their  several 
destinations. 

On  the  28th  day  of  May,  an  order  was  received  from  the 
President  of  the  United  States  for  thirty  companies  of  infantry, 
twenty  of  which  were  to  compose  two  regiments,  — the  Thirty- 
third  and  Thirty-fourth,  —  six  for  a  battalion  to  garrison  Fort 
Warren,  and  four  to  complete  the  organization  of  the  Thirty- 
second  Regiment.  The  Thirty-third  regiment  was  recruited  at 
Lynnfield,  and  left  the  State  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  Aug.  14,  1862.  The  Thirty-fourth  Regiment  was  re 
cruited  at  "  Camp  John  E.  Wool,"  on  the  Agricultural  Fail- 
Grounds  in  Worcester.  It  left  the  State  for  Washington, 
Aug.  15,  1862.  The  other  ten  companies  were  recruited  in  a 
few  weeks,  and  assigned  to  duty. 


THE    POSITION    OF    REGIMENTS.  337 

The  Massachusetts  regiments  and  batteries  in  the  spring  of 
1862,  and  previous  to  the  commencement  of  the  campaign  in 
North  Carolina  under  Burnside,  and  in  Virginia  under  Gen 
eral  McClellan,  were  stationed  as  follows  :  The  'First,  Seventh, 
Ninth,  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Fifteenth,  Sixteenth,  Eighteenth, 
Nineteenth,  Twentieth,  Twenty-second,  Twenty-ninth,  and 
Thirty-second  Regiments  of  Infantry,  the  First,  Third,  and 
Fifth  Batteries,  and  the  two  companies  of  Sharpshooters,  were 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  Second,  Twelfth,  and  Thir 
teenth  Regiments  of  Infantry  were  in  the  Army  of  Virginia,  in 
the  upper  waters  of  the  Potomac.  The  Seventeenth,  Twenty- 
first,  Twenty-third,  Twenty-fourth,  Twenty-fifth,  and  Twenty- 
seventh  Regiments  of  Infantry  were  in  General  Burnside's 
army,  in  North  Carolina.  The  Twenty -sixth,  Thirtieth,  and 
Thirty-first  Regiments  of  Infantry,  three  unattached  com 
panies  of  cavalry,  the  Second  and  Sixth  Companies  of  Light 
Artillery,  were  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf  in  Louisiana.  The 
Twenty-eighth  Regiment  of  Infantry  and  the  First  Regiment 
of  Cavalry  were  in  the  Army  of  the  South,  in  South  Carolina. 
The  First  Regiment  of  Heavy  Artillery  was  stationed  in  forts 
near  Washington,  on  the  Virginia  side  of  the  Potomac.  The 
Seventh  Company  of  Light  Artillery  was  stationed  at  Fortress 
Monroe  ;  and  the  Eighth  Company  of  Light  Artillery  (Cook's), 
was  stationed  near  Washington. 

Thus  the  soldiers  of  Massachusetts  were  stationed  in  array 
of  battle,  at  the  beginning  of  this  eventful  year,  at  different 
points,  —  from  the  valley  of  the  Shenandoah  to  the  lowlands  of 
Louisiana.  In  the  year  before,  they  had  been  the  first  to  reach 
Washington,  and  to  plant  the  colors  of  the  Commonwealth 
upon  the  soil  of  Virginia.  So  they  were  the  first,  in  1862,  to 
land  in  North  Carolina,  and  "  carry  the  flag,  and  keep  step  to 
the  music  of  the  Union,"  in  the  far-off  plains  of  Mississippi 
and  Louisiana.  Before  the  end  of  the  year,  as  we  shall  pro 
ceed  to  show,  Massachusetts  soldiers  were  the  first  to  land  on 
the  soil  of  Texas,  and  display  the  ensign  of  the  republic  in  the 

city  of  Galveston. 

22 


CHAPTER     VII. 

Recruiting  for  the  New  Regiments  —  The  Position  of  the  Armies  in  the  Field  — 
Letters  from  the  Adjutant-General  to  Different  Persons  —  Establishment  of 
Camps  —  Departure  of  New  Regiments  —  Recruits  for  Old  Regiments  —  Let 
ter  to  Secretary  Seward  —  Suggestions  adopted  —  Foreign  Recruits  —  Letter 
to  General  Couch  —  Deserters  —  Want  of  Mustering  Officers  —  Letter  from 
General  Hooker  —  Our  Sick  and  Wounded  —  Letter  to  General  McClellan  — 
General  Fitz-John  Porter  —  Call  for  Nineteen  Thousand  Soldiers  for  Nine 
Months  —  Appointment  of  Major  Rogers  —  Preparing  for  a  Draft  —  Militia 
Volunteers  —  Letter  to  the  President  —  Great  Activity  in  Recruiting  —  Liber 
ality  of  John  M.  Forbes  —  Colonel  Maggi  —  Town  Authorities  ask  Civilians 
to  be  commissioned  —  First  Attempt  to  raise  Colored  Troops  —  Letter 
to  Hon.  J.  G.  Abbott  —  Recommends  Merchants  and  Others  to  devote  Half 
of  each  Day  to  Recruiting  —  Hardship  to  Seaboard  Towns  —  Attempt  to  have 
Credits  allowed  for  Men  in  the  Navy — Difficulties  —  Earnest  Letter — Sur 
geons  sent  forward —  Several  Recommendations  —  Battle  of  Antietam —  Dr. 
Hitchcock  sent  forward  —  His  Report  —  Affairs  at  the  Front  —  Recruiting 
Brisk  —  Republican  Convention  —  Sharp  Debate  —  Nominations  —  People's 
Convention  —  General  Devens  nominated  for  Governor — Speeches  —  Letter 
to  General  Dix  —  Contrabands  —  Complaints  —  Quotas  filled  —  Departure  of 
Regiments  —  Invasion  of  Texas  —  Major  Burt — State  Appointments,  &c. 

ON  the  fourth  day  of  July,  1862,  the  President  of  the  United 
States  issued  a  call  for  three  hundred  thousand  men,  to  serve 
for  three  years  or  to  the  end  of  the  war.  Three  days  after,  —  on 
the  seventh  day  of  July,  —  General  Order  No.  26  was  issued, 
by  order  of  Governor  Andrew,  in  which  it  was  stated,  that  "a 
call  has  been  made  upon  the  Governor  of  this  Common  wealth, 
by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  for  fifteen  thousand  volun 
teers,  to  form  new  regiments,  and  to  fill  the  ranks  of  those  of 
this  Commonwealth  now  at  the  seat  of  war."  At  that  time, 
the  Thirty-second,  Thirty-third,  Thirty-fourth,  and  Thirty-fifth 
Regiments  were  being  recruited  in  the  State.  To  bring  the 
matter  of  recruiting  more  nearly  home  to  each  city  and  town, 
and  to  invest  it  with  a  peculiar  and  local  interest,  the  Adjutant- 
General  suggested  to  the  Governor,  that  it  would  be  well  to 


THE    POSITION    OF    AFFAIRS.  339 

show  the  number  which  each  city  and  town  should  furnish  as  its 
proportion  of  the  number  called  for,  not  taking  into  account  the 
number  which  they  had  already  furnished.  This  could  be  done 
by  assuming,  as  a  basis,  the  men  enrolled  liable  to  do  military 
duty,  as  exhibited  by  the  annual  returns  made  to  the  Adjutant- 
General  by  the  assessors  of  the  cities  and  towns,  as  required 
by  law.  This  suggestion  met  with  the  approval  of  the  Gov 
ernor  ;  and  therefore  the  number  each  city  and  town  was  to 
furnish  was  embodied  in  the  general  order. 

This  had  a  beneficial  effect.  The  municipal  authorities, 
knowing  what  they  had  to  do,  entered  upon  the  work  of  recruit 
ing  with  patriotic  zeal.  Town  meetings  were  held,  money 
appropriated,  and  committees  appointed  to  assist  in  recruiting, 
and  to  carry  into  practical  effect  the  call  of  the  President. 
Many  of  our  regiments  at  the  seat  of  war  had  been  decimated 
by  losses  in  battle,  and  by  sickness  occasioned  by  exposure,  a 
Southern  climate,  and  the  hardships  of  a  great  campaign. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  this  time,  failing  in  its  object, 
—  the  capture  of  Richmond,  —  was  falling  back  on  Harrison's 
Landing,  on  the  James  River.  The  command  of  General 
Banks  occupied  the  upper  waters  of  the  Potomac.  The  army 
under  General  Burnside  had  captured  Newbern,  and  other 
important  places  in  North  Carolina,  and  was  holding  its  position. 
The  command  of  General  Butler  occupied  New  Orleans,  and 
other  important  posts  in  Louisiana.  The  Thirty-first  Regiment, 
under  Butler's  command,  on  the  first  day  of  May,  was  the  first 
to  land,  and  take  possession  of  the  city.  The  landing  was 
effected  without  difficulty,  though  threats  and  insults  met  them 
as  they  put  their  feet  on  the  soil  of  Louisiana.  Our  great 
admiral,  Farragut,  had  silenced  Forts  Jackson  and  St.  Philip, 
and  opened  the  Mississippi  for  the  advance  of  the  army.  The 
Thirtieth  Regiment  had  proceeded  up  the  river  to  Baton  Rouge, 
disembarked  on  the  morning  of  June  2,  and  quartered  in  the 
State  Capitol,  and  from  its  dome  raised  the  stars  and  stripes, 
from  which  they  were  never  struck.  In  these  commands  were 
centred  all  the  regiments  and  batteries  which  Massachusetts 
had  sent  to  the  war. 

Success  had  crowned  the  efforts  of  the  Union  arms,  except 


340  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

before  Richmond.  The  losses  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
were  fearfully  great.  The  newspapers,  for  weeks,  had  daily 
published  the  long  lists  of  dead  and  wounded ;  many  of  our 
bravest  and  best  had  fallen.  Homes  had  been  made  desolate ; 
the  maimed,  with  their  ghastly  wounds,  crying  for  help,  reached 
us  daily.  But  never  was  the  war  spirit  more  determined  and 
buoyant  than  at  this  time.  Never  was  recruiting  more  active  ; 
never  did  men  flock  to  our  camps  to  enlist  more  eagerly.  In 
Boston,  many  of  our  merchants  closed  their  places  of  business 
at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  that  they  might  devote  the  re 
mainder  of  the  day  to  recruiting.  Meetings  were  held,  and 
addresses  made,  on  the  Common  and  in  Roxbury ;  recruiting- 
tents  were  erected  in  Hay  market  Square,  Court  Square,  and  on 
the  Common.  Meetings  were  held,  and  speeches  made,  in 
front  of  the  Old  South  ;  and  men,  unused  to  public  speech, 
were  fired  with  eloquence.  A  general  camp  of  rendezvous  was 
established  in  the  city  of  Worcester,  and  named  "  Camp  Wool," 
in  honor  of  the  veteran,  Major-General  Wool.  To  this  camp 
all  recruits  from  the  counties  of  Berkshire,  Franklin,  Hampden, 
Hampshire,  and  Worcester,  were  sent.  The  old  camp  at  Lynn- 
field  was  continued,  and  designated  "Camp  Stanton,"  which 
served  as  the  general  rendezvous  of  recruits  from  the  counties 
of  Barnstable,  Bristol,  Dukes,  Essex,  Middlesex,  Norfolk,  Nan- 
tucket,  Plymouth,  and  Suffolk.  Until  further  orders,  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  Lincoln,  of  the  Thirty-fourth  Regiment,  which  was 
then  being  recruited,  was  placed  in  command  of  "  Camp  Wool ;  " 
and  Colonel  Maggi,  of  the  Thirty-third  Regiment,  which  was 
also  being  recruited,  was  placed  in  command  of  "  Camp  Stan- 
ton."  Surgeon-General  Dale  was  instructed  to  have  a  surgeon 
at  each  of  the  camps,  to  examine  recruits. 

These  camps  were  intended  for  recruits  who  were  to  form 
new  regiments  ;  and  "  Camp  Cameron,"  at  North  Cambridge, 
under  the  command  of  the  United  States  military  commander, 
Colonel  H.  Day,  was  the  general  rendezvous  for  recruits  in 
tended  for  regiments  already  in  the  field. 

The  necessity  of  filling  the  quota  of  Massachusetts  in  the 
shortest  possible  time  was  strongly  pressed  upon  the  Governor 
by  the  President  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  by  him  urged 


ACTIVITY   IN   RECRUITING.  341 

upon  the  people  with  all  his  power  of  eloquence  and  enthu 
siasm  for  the  cause.  We  cannot  better  illustrate  the  interest 
felt,  and  the  activity  exercised,  by  the  people  of  the  State  to 
recruit  and  send  forward  men,  than  by  making  a  few  extracts 
from  letters  written  by  the  Adjutant-General  in  answer  to  others 
received  by  him  from  gentlemen  in  all  parts  of  the  Common 
wealth,  asking  for  recruiting  papers  and  information  to  guide 
them  in  their  patriotic  work.  From  the  eighth  day  of  July  to 
the  first  day  of  August,  upwards  of  five  hundred  letters  were 
written  by  him  upon  this  and  kindred  subjects. 

July  8.  —  He  writes  to  J.  N.  Dunham,  Adams, — 

"  Thanks  for  your  patriotic  letter.  You  will  see,  by  General  Or 
der  No.  26,  in  this  morning's  papers,  that  your  quota  is  sixty-eight 
men.  Get  them  as  speedily  as  possible,  and  I  will  furnish  transporta 
tion  as  soon  as  notified.  Why  cannot  Berkshire  raise  a  regiment  ? 
We  must  have  men  at  once.  Let  every  good  citizen  take  hold,  and 
give  his  influence  and  money  to  the  cause." 

To  P.  W.  Morgan,  Lee,  — 

"  The  quota  of  Lee  is  thirty -seven  men.  Raise  them ;  and  if  you 
are  qualified,  and  I  doubt  not  you  are.  a  lieutenancy  will  doubtless  be 
given  you ;  but  we  must  have  the  men.  The  influential  citizens  of 
the  town  should  take  hold  with  heart  and  will.  You  will  receive  two 
dollars  for  every  man  you  recruit.  This  letter  is  all  the  authority  you 
require." 

To  Moody  D.  Cook,  Newburyport, — 

"  Recruit  every  man  you  can  ;  take  him  to  the  mustering  officer  in 
Salem,  and  take  a  receipt  for  him.  After  he  is  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service,  you  shall  receive  two  dollars  for  each  man. 
The  officer  will  furnish  transportation  to  Lynnfield.  Work,  work; 
for  we  want  men  badly." 

To  Moses  P.  Towne,  Topsfield,  — 

"  We  require  the  aid  of  every  man  in  the  State  to  forward  recruit 
ing.  You  will  not  need  any  papers.  If  you  can  enlist  a  man  in 
Topsfield,  do  it,  and  I  will  immediately  furnish  transportation  to  Lynn- 
field.  The  necessity  is  urgent.  The  quota  for  Topsfield,  nineteen 
men." 

To  A.  Potter,  Pittsficld,  — 


342  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    HEBELLION. 

"  The  terrible  pressure  of  business  upon  me  has  prevented  my 
answering  your  favor  of  the  4th  inst.  before.  I  inclose  you  the 
blanks  you  ask  for.  Pittsfield  must  furnish  one  hundred  and  two 
men.  Why  can't  you  raise  a  regiment  in  Berkshire  ?  If  we  cannot 
get  the  men  in  this  way,  we  must  draft ;  for  the  men  must  be  had  at 
once.  Let  a  meeting  be  called  ;  and  let  those  who  have  monev  in  their 

O  *• 

pockets,  and  patriotism  in  their  hearts,  step  forth,  and  give  to  the  cause. 
We  must  have  the  men." 

To  E.  W.  Norton,  North  Blandford,- 

"  In  answer  to  your  patriotic  and  excellent  letter  of  the  4th  inst., 
I  would  say  that  we  want  all  the  men  asked  for  at  once.  Please  see 
General  Order  No.  26  in  the  papers  of  to-day.  Each  town's  quota  is 
set  down,  and  they  must  respond.  Let  influential  and  patriotic  men 
take  hold  at  once,  and  put  the  thing  through.  The  order  contains  all 
the  necessary  information.  A  copy  will  be  sent  to  every  town  in  the 
State.  Any  thing  you  can  do  to  forward  the  cause  will  be  gratefully 
remembered." 

To  Charles  F.  Crocker,  Cotuit  Port,  - 

"  You  will  see,  by  General  Order  No.  26  in  to-day's  papers,  that  the 
quota  for  Barnstable  County  is  two  hundred  and  eighty-five  men.  I 
care  not  how  they  are  raised ;  only  raise  them,  as  we  want  men  very 
much.  I  hope  the  selectmen  and  prominent  citizens  will  act  together, 
and  raise  the  men,  —  each  town  its  own  share.  I  want  the  towns  to 
take  hold  systematically." 

To  H.  W.  Pratt,  Worcester,  — 

"  Give  Mr.  Brewer  the  authority  he  requires.  Let  him  recruit  men 
for  you,  and  take  receipts  for  the  same,  and  I  will  see  that  he  gets  his 
two  dollars.  We  must  have  the  men  at  once.  Let  meetings  be  called, 
and  the  influential  men,  and  the  city  and  town  authorities,  take  hold 
with  a  will." 

To  Joshua  Tarr,  Rockport,  — 

"  The  quota  of  Rockport  is  twenty-nine  men.  We  want  these  men 
very  much  indeed ;  and  any  means  you  may  adopt  to  recruit  them  will 
be  satisfactory.  If  Mr.  Thurston  is  the  man,  then  you  may  employ 
him.  This  letter  will  be  his  authority.  The  men  are  entitled  to  one 
month's  pay  (thirteen  dollars),  arid  a  bounty  of  twenty-live  dollars  in 
addition,  as  soon  as  the  company  is  full  to  which  they  may  be  attached. 
How  long  will  it  take  to  recruit  these  men  ?  I  will  furnish  transporta 
tion  to  the  camp.  Let  me  hear  from  you  again." 


LETTERS  OF  THE  ADJUTANT-GENERAL.         343 

To  Frank  J.  Crosby,  Nantucket,  — 

"  In  answer  to  yours  of  July  3,  I  would  say,  that  we  are  very 
much  in  want  of  recruits.  The  quota  of  Nantucket  is  eighty -two  men. 
I  hope  they  will  be  got  as  soon  as  possible.  If  you  can  raise  a  full 
company  there,  so  much  the  better.  I  inclose  you  the  proper  papers. 
They  may  be  sent  to  Fort  Warren  ;  but  no  positive  assurance  can  be 
given,  for,  as  soon  as  they  are  mustered  in,  they  are  under  orders. 
The  company  that  went  to  Fort  Warren,  of  which  you  speak,  was  a 
militia  company,  and  is  only  there  for  six  months.  We  can  garrison 
the  fort  all  the  time  with  militia  companies.  What  is  wanted  now  is 
men  for  the  front,  as  stated  in  General  Order  No.  26.  Consult  with 
the  selectmen  and  influential  citizens,  and  get  the  eighty-two  men  as 
quick  as  possible.  I  will  furnish  the  transportation." 

To  Henry  D.  Capen,  North  Hadley,  — 

"  In  answer  to  yours  of  the  7th  inst.,  I  would  say  that  General 
Order  26  calls  upon  the  towns,  and  every  citizen  in  them,  to  get  re 
cruits  ;  and,  if  we  cannot  get  them  this  way,  I  fear  the  next  step  will 
be  a  draft." 

To  W.  W.  S.  Oleton,  Haverhill,  - 

"  We  want  all  the  men  for  Massachusetts  quota  at  once.  The  quota 
of  Haverhill  is  two  hundred  and  twelve  men.  I  hope  you  will  do  what 
you  can  to  aid  the  recruiting  ;  and,  if  you  do,  I  think  you  will  get  a  com 
mission.  But  that  lies  with  the  Governor.  If  qualified,  I  will  do  my  best 
for  you.  I  hope  the  people  of  the  town  will  take  hold,  and  at  once 
see  if  they  cannot  get  their  quota  enlisted.  Let  me  hear  from  you 
again." 

July  9.  —  To  Thomas  Allen,  Pittsfield,  — 

"  Nothing  can  exceed  the  patriotic  spirit  of  the  people  of  Pittsfield. 
The  town  has  already  most  nobly  connected  its  name  with  the  bright 
est  pa^es  of  this  war,  and  now  it  is  the  first  to  take  hold  in  the  right 
wav  to  raise  its  quota  for  the  new  demand.  I  find  that  the  cities  and 
towns  are  taking  hold  with  a  good  will ;  and  I  feel  very  much  en 
couraged  that  we  shall  get  our  quota,  not  only  without  drafting,  but 
before  any  other  State  has  got  half  its  share.  Of  course,  the  towns 
which  raise  their  quota  under  General  Order  No.  26  will  be  exempt 
from  draft,  should  one  be  made,  which  I  now  believe  will  not  be  neces 
sary.  The  quota  of  Pittsfield  is  one  hundred  and  two  men,  —  just  a 
company." 


344  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE   REBELLION. 

To  Malcolm  Ammidown,  Southbridge, — 

"  The  towns  which  furnish  their  quota  promptly  will,  of  course,  be 
exempt  from  a  draft  for  the  300,000  men.  I  do  hope  that  South- 
bridge,  and  every  town  in  Massachusetts,  will  furnish  its  quota  at 
once,  so  that  the  old  Commonwealth  whose  blood  has  drenched  to  a 
mire  the  soil  of  Virginia,  will  have  her  quota  ready  in  advance  of  all 
other  States,  as  in  the  beginning.  Do  put  your  shoulder  to  the  wheel, 
and  help  the  great  cause  in  which  we  all  feel  so  deep  an  interest." 

To  Charles  G.  Potter,  North  Adams,  — 

"  The  quota  of  your  town  is  sixty-eight  men.  If  you  can  raise  a 
full  company,  so  much  the  better.  We  are  sadly  in  want  of  men  to  fill 
up  our  regiments  at  the  seat  of  war,  as  well  as  to  fill  up  the  new  regi 
ments.  I  find,  however,  that  the  towns  and  cities  are  taking  hold  nobly, 
each  to  get  its  quota ;  and  I  feel  confident  that  Massachusetts  will  have 
her  contingent  filled  in  advance  of  any  other  State.  Should  a  company 
be  raised  in  Adams,  I  have  no  doubt  His  Excellency  would  commission 
officers  from  that  town,  if  they  are  qualified  for  the  positions.  Let 
every  man  take  hold  and  recruit." 

To  G.  B.  Weston,  Duxbury,  - 

"  I  send,  as  you  requested,  an  enlistment-roll ;  also,  a  copy  of  Gene 
ral  Order  No.  26.  I  sincerely  hope  that  no  town  will  cease  its  efforts 
until  it  has  its  quota  enlisted.  I  feel  greatly  encouraged  to-day.  The 
towns  have  taken  hold  of  the  matter  with  spirit  and  liberality ;  and  I 
feel,  that,  before  the  end  of  the  month,  we  shall  have  sent  forward  a 
large  share  of  the  men.  When  you  have  yours  ready,  inform  me,  and 
I  will  send  you  transportation  for  them  to  camp." 

July  10.  —  To  Artemas  Hale,  Bridge  water,  — 

"  The  term  of  enlistment  is  for  three  years,  or  to  the  end  of  the  war, 
which,  I  think,  we  may  see  before  winter  comes  in,  if  we  are  only  pre 
pared  now  to  send  on  our  quota.  I  have  great  encouragement ;  the 
towns  are  taking  hold  with  great  spirit ;  some  of  them  have  already 
furnished  their  quotas.  The  President  is  extremely  anxious  to  have 
the  Governor  forward  our  Massachusetts  men.  We  want  to  be  first  in 
this,  as  we  were  in  the  beginning." 

Hon.  H.  Hosford,  Mayor  of  Lowell,  — 

"  We  are  not  expecting  a  requisition  to  draft  troops,  as  we  expect  to 
get  the  quota  of  the  State  without  a  draft ;  and  I  think  there  is  no 
doubt  of  it,  if  the  large  towns  do  as  well  as  the  small  ones  are  doing, 


LETTERS  OF  THE  ADJUTANT-GENERAL.        345 

and  promise  to  do.  I  beg  of  you,  Mr.  Mayor,  to  exert  all  your  influ 
ence  to  have  Lowell  furnish  its  quota.  The  demand  is  urgent  and 
imperative.  The  President  and  Cabinet  are  all  anxious  that  Massachu 
setts  should  lead  in  this,  the  second  campaign  of  the  war,  as  she  did  in 
the  first.  Should  Lowell  furnish  its  quota,  arid  other  towns  should  fail, 
to  Lowell  will  be  the  honor." 

To  J.  E.  Gomstock,  Blackstone,  — 

"  Make  such  arrangements  for  getting  your  quota  as  may  to  you 
seem  best.  We  want  the  men ;  and  as  soon  as  your  forty-two  are  re 
cruited,  or  any  portion  of  them,  notify  me,  or  Colonel  Lincoln,  in  com 
mand  of  '  Camp  Wool,'  who  will  furnish  transportation.  Any  person 
you  will  name  to  assist  you  recruit  I  will  appoint,  and  give  him  papers. 
Do  hurry  on  the  men :  we  want  them  sadly." 

To  N.  S.  Kimball,  Haverhill,  — 

"  The  towns  that  raise  their  quotas  will  be  exempt  from  any  draft, 
under  the  present  requisition  for  fifteen  thousand  men.  I  hope  you  will 
do  every  thing  in  your  power  to  hurry  the  men  along :  we  are  very 
much  in  need  of  them,  and  must  have  them." 

To  John  A.  Goodwin,  Lowell,  — 

"  Before  a  captain  and  second  lieutenant  can  be  commissioned  and 
mustered  in,  the  company  must  be  full.  The  first  lieutenant  can  be 
mustered  when  the  company  is  half  full.  This  will  explain  why  Mr. 
Thompson  is  not  commissioned.  I  do  not  say  the  rules  of  the  service  are 
wise ;  indeed,  I  think  they  are  unwise.  Let  Lowell  fill  up  the  com 
panies,  and  then  the  commissions  will  come." 

To  James  T.  Sumner,  Canton,  — 

"  You  can  enlist  persons  under  twenty-one  years,  if  their  parents  or 
guardians  give  their  consent.  As  to  enlisting  under  eighteen  years  of  age, 
I  doubt  the  expediency  of  it,  unless  they  have  an  extraordinary  physi 
cal  development.  You  may  enlist  men  over  forty -five,  if  they  are  hale, 
vigorous,  and  free  from  physical  defect.  I  beg  of  you  to  hurry  on  the 
work :  you  have  little  idea  of  the  terrible  pressure  upon  us  for  men  from 
Washington." 

To  Edwin  F.  Whitney,  Holliston,  — 

"  The  proportion  for  each  town,  under  General  Order  No.  26,  was 
based  upon  the  returns  received  at  this  office  from  the  several  cities 
and  towns  of  the  Commonwealth.  They  were  presumed  to  be  correct. 


346  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

I  do  not  see  how  a  change  can  now  be  made.  We  are  sadly  in  want 
of  men ;  and  I  sincerely  hope  that  there  will  be  no  delay  in  getting  your 
quota  :  you  have  no  idea  of  the  great  and  important  demand  there  is  for 
them." 

We  have  quoted  from  letters  written  by  the  Adjutant-General, 
in  the  three  days  immediately  succeeding  the  issuing  of  General 
Order  No.  26,  to  show  the  activity  which  prevailed  in  his  de 
partment,  and  in  the  cities  and  towns  of  the  Common  wealth,  to 
obtain  recruits,  and  fill  the  contingent  of  fifteen  thousand  men, 
assigned  to  this  State.  This  activity  increased,  and  the  feelings 
of  the  people  intensified,  until  the  men  were  recruited.  To 
facilitate  recruiting,  and  accommodate  the  people  in  the  extreme 
western  part  of  the  State,  a  camp  of  rendezvous  was  established 
in  Pittsfield,  which  was  named  "Camp  Briggs,"  in  honor  of 
Colonel  Briggs,  of  the  Tenth  Regiment,  —  a  native  of  Berk 
shire,  and  a  citizen  of  Pittsfield,  who  had  distinguished  himself  in 
the  battles  before  Richmond,  in  one  of  which  he  was  severely 
wounded.  He  was  appointed  by  the  President  a  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers;  and,  after  recovering  from  his  wounds, 
served  to  the  end  of  the  war. 

As  evidence  of  the  activity  with  which  the  people  entered  into 
the  business  of  recruiting,  and  the  success  which  attended  it,  it 
may  be  noted  that,  within  two  months  from  the  day  General 
Order  No.  26  was  issued,  upwards  of  four  thousand  men  had 
been  recruited  for  the  old  regiments  at  the  seat  of  war,  and  sent 
forward  to  the  front.  Four  new  companies  to  complete  the 
Thirty-second  Regiment,  and  nine  new  regiments,  had  been  filled 
to  the  maximum,  and  completely  organized,  and  fully  equipped ; 
and  eight  of  them  had  left  the  State,  and  entered  upon  active 
duty.  The  three  companies  for  the  Thirty-second  Regiment  left 
the  State  Aug.  20  ;  the  Thirty-third  Regiment,  Colonel  Maggi, 
Aug.  11;  the  Thirty-fourth,  Colonel  Wells,  Aug.  12;  the 
Thirty-fifth,  Colonel  Wild,  Aug.  22  ;  The  Thirty-sixth,  Colo 
nel  Bowman,  Aug.  31  ;  the  Thirty-seventh,  Colonel  Edwards, 
Sept.  5;  the  Thirty-eighth,  Colonel  Ingraham,  Aug.  24;  the 
Thirty-ninth,  Colonel  Davis,  Sept.  6  ;  the  Fortieth,  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Dsil ton,  Sept.  8.  All  of  these  regiments  were  ordered 
to  report  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  at  Washing- 


VISIT    OF    SECRETARY    SEWARD.  347 

ton.  The  Forty-first  Regiment,  Colonel  Chickering,  left  the 
State  Nov.  5,  and  was  ordered  to  report  to  Major-General 
Banks,  at  New  York,  who  had  superseded  Major-General  But 
ler  in  command  of  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  and  who  was 
then  in  New  York,  superintending  the  embarkation  of  troops 
destined  for  his  command.  The  Forty-first  Regiment  sailed 
from  New  York,  direct  for  New  Orleans. 

In  addition  to  the  nine  new  regiments,  and  the  four  thousand 
men  recruited  for  the  regiments  in  the  field,  two  new  batteries 
—  the  Ninth  and  Tenth  —  were  recruited  and  organized  within 
the  same  period.  The  Ninth  Battery,  Captain  De  Vecchi,  left 
the  State  Aug.  21  ;  and  the  Tenth,  Captain  Sleeper,  Oct.  6,  — 
with  orders  to  report  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  at 
Washington.  Thus,  within  three  months  from  the  date  of  the 
receipt  of  orders  from  Washington,  Massachusetts  had  furnished 
her  contingent  of  fifteen  thousand  men  ;  had  sent  forward  nine 
new  regiments  and  two  light  batteries,  completely  armed, 
clothed,  and  equipped,  to  swell  the  number  of  those  already  in 
the  field,  and  more  than  four  thousand  men  to  fill  the  gaps  in 
the  old  regiments,  which  the  waste  of  war  had  caused.  To 
these  noble  men,  and  to  those  who  preceded  them,  not  a  dollar 
of  bounty  was  paid  by  the  Commonwealth. 

Rapidly  as  this  contingent  of  fifteen  thousand  men  had  been  • 
recruited,  it  was  but  half  filled,  when  President  Lincoln,  on  the 
4th  of  August,  issued  another  call,  for  three  hundred  thousand 
more  men,  to  serve  for  nine  months,  of  which,  by  some  process 
of  arithmetic  known  only  to  the  authorities  in  Washington,  the 
proportion  assigned  to  Massachusetts  was  nineteen  thousand  and 
ninety  men.  These  men  were  to  be  raised  by  "draft,  in  accord 
ance  with  orders  from  the  War  Department,  and  the  laws  of  the 
several  States." 

Early  in  July,  Mr.  Seward,  Secretary  of  State,  and  General 
Buckingham,  of  the  War  Department,  visited  Massachusetts  to 
ascertain,  by  personal  examination  and  conference,  the  means  best 
calculated  to  encourage  enlistments  and  raise  volunteers.  The 
Adjutant-General  had  a  long  and  satisfactory  interview  with 
these  gentlemen,  and  gave  them  his  views  at  length,  which  he 
was  requested  to  put  in  writing,  and  forward  to  Washington. 


348  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

In  accordance  with  which  request,  on  the  7th  of  July,  he  wrote  a 
letter  to  Secretary  Seward,  giving  his  thoughts  upon  recruiting, 
from  which  we  make  a  few  extracts  :  — 

"1st,  We  should  be  allowed  a  band  of  ten  musicians  for  each 
camp,  to  enliven  the  men  and  cause  attraction.  This  proposition  I 
made  when  you  were  here,  and  I  understood  you  and  General  Buck 
ingham  to  accede  to  it ;  but  I  wish  to  have  the  authority  in  writing, 
so  it  may  go  on  file.  The  cost  for  each  camp  will  be  about  four  hun 
dred  dollars  a  month. 

"  2d,  There  should  be  a  commissioned  officer  in  each  of  the 
camps  to  muster  in  recruits  as  soon  as  they  arrive  in  camp.  We  now 
have  to  depend  upon  Captain  Goodhue,  who  is  stationed  in  Boston ; 
but  his  time  is  so  taken  up  that  he  can  but  seldom  go  to  the  camp  at 
Worcester.  The  senior  officer  in  command  of  any  camp  ought  to  have 
authority  to  muster  recruits. 

"  3d,  Officers  authorized  to  raise  companies  should  be  commis 
sioned,  and  draw  pay,  from  the  time  they  begin  recruiting,  with  the 
understanding,  that,  unless  the  company  is  raised  in  a  reasonable  time, 
the  commissions  shall  be  cancelled.  As  it  now  is,  the  men  who  recruit 
spend  their  time  and  money  without  receiving  any  pay  for  their  ser 
vices.  Why  should  not  their  pay  begin  when  their  labors  begin  ? 

"  4th,  Wre  are  too  much  hedged  in  with  army  regulations  and  army 
officers.  Our  tents  should  be  floored  ;  but  the  United  States  officers 
won't  pay  the  bills,  because  the  regulations  don't  allow  it.  In 
order  to  get  recruits,  the  camps  should  be  made  comfortable  and  at 
tractive.  It  is  the  denial  of  these  little  things  which  annoys  officers 
and  men.  It  was  a  great  mistake  when  the  recruiting  was  taken  from 
the  State  authorities,  and  put  in  charge  of  army  officers :  they  move 
slowly,  arid  appear  to  have  no  enthusiasm. 

"  Please  have  this  letter  given  to  General  Buckingham,  and  request 
him  to  let  me  know  what  we  may  be  authorized  to  do.  I  think  he 
can  have  the  fifteen  thousand  men  in  the  time  you  stated :  only  give 
us  a  little  margin,  and  keep  us  as  much  as  possible  under  State  au 
thority." 

The  suggestions  made  by  the  Adjutant-General  were  sub 
stantially  complied  with  :  a  band  was  engaged  for  each  camp  ; 
a  lieutenant  for  each  company  was  commissioned ;  flooring 
was  allowed  for  camp-tents,  and  the  recruiting  was  put  under 
the  control  of  the  State  authorities, — the  army  officers  audit 
ing  and  paying  the  bills,  and  mustering  in  the  recruits. 


FOREIGN   ENLISTMENTS.  349 

On  the  27th  of  July,  the  Governor  received  a  telegram  from 
President  Lincoln,  making  inquiry  as  to  the  condition  of  the 
new  Massachusetts  regiments,  which  the  Governor  answered  by 
letter  on  the  28th.  He  spoke  encouragingly,  and  said,  — 

"  Our  main  effort  is  to  fill  up  our  regiments  already  in  the  field. 
The  small  towns  are  doing  well  towards  furnishing  their  quotas,  and 
are  sending  large  numbers  of  recruits  to  old  regiments.  I  wish  it 
were  possible  that  all  our  recruits  could  go  to  them.  But  some  have 
an  invincible  prejudice  for  new  organizations.  If  I  could  but  have 
power  to  do  what  needs  to  be  done,  without  waiting  for  others  to 
move  until  people  are  angry  and  disgusted,  we  could  make  much 
faster  progress  in  filling  the  old  regiments." 

Having  been  advised  that  informal  representations  had  been 
made  to  Secretary  Seward  by  the  British   consul  in   Boston, 
that    "  he    had    received    many    complaints    from    poor    British 
subjects,  who  are  made  intoxicated,  and  then  enlisted  as  volun 
teers,  that   the   protests   which   they   had   made   on   recovering 
their  senses  are  not  listened  to,  and  that  the  interference  of  the 
consul    had  hitherto    been    fruitless,"  the    Governor  addressed 
a  letter  to  Marquis  Lousada,  Her  Majesty's  consul  in  Boston, 
in  which   he   said  the  recruitment  of   all  volunteer  regiments, 
until   they    are    organized    and    their    muster-rolls    completed, 
was    under    his    exclusive    control ;     but    in    no     instance    had 
any    complaints    of    the    nature    described,    from    any    source, 
been    made;    nor    had  he  been    advised,  in  any    instance,   of 
an  interference  by  the  British  consul.     He  would  be  obliged, 
therefore,  if  the  consul   would  make   known  to  him  all  cases 
of  enlistments  such  as  described,  that  the  wrong  done  to  the 
parties    might    be    repaired ;    and   if  any  future   cases    should 
occur,  when  brought  to  his  notice,  they  would  receive  immediate 
attention.     We  are  disposed  to  believe  that  comparatively  few 
cases  of  this  nature  occurred.     Those  of  which  complaint  was 
made  were  referred  to  the  Adjutant-General  to  investigate,  with 
directions  to  report  the  facts  to  the  Governor.     We  cannot  call 
to  mind  a  dozen  cases  during  the  entire  period  of  the  war. 

The  Governor  having  heard  a  report  that  Brigadier-Gen 
eral  Couch  intended  to  resign  his  commission  in  the  army  in 
consequence  of  injustice  done  him,  wrote  a  strong,  friendly 


350  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

letter,  dissuading  him  from  his  purpose.  The  letter  was  sent  to 
Harrison's  Landing,  Ya.,  and  did  not  reach  General  Couch,  as 
he  had  come  home  to  Massachusetts  on  short  leave,  to  regain 
his  health  and  strength.  The  Governor  therefore  wrote  him 
again,  on  the  28th  of  July,  representing  to  him  "  the  great 
need  our  country  has  of  all  good  officers  and  patriots,"  and 
assuring  him  that  his  fame  as  a  soldier  was  not  to  be  tarnished 
by  official  neglect  or  oversight,  however  hard  to  bear.  "  It 
would  give  me,"  the  Governor  says,  "  and  all  my  staff,  great 
pleasure  to  be  assured  you  have  no  intention  of  leaving  the 
army  till  this  war  is  ended." 

General  Coucli  had  raised  the  Seventh  Regiment  of  Massa 
chusetts  Volunteers,  and  was  commissioned  the  colonel  of  it. 
Whether  he  intended,  at  this  time,  to  tender  his  resignation  as 
brigadier-general,  and  retire  from  the  service,  we  have  no  posi 
tive  knowledge.  We  know,  however,  that  he  did  not  resign, 
but  served,  like  a  gallant  soldier  and  gentleman,  until  the  end 
of  the  war  ;  and  rose,  by  his  bravery  and  merit,  to  the  rank  of 
major-general  and  corps  commander. 

On  the  23d  of  July,  Brigadier-General  Buckingham,  of  the 
War  Department,  addressed  a  circular  letter  to  the  Governors 
of  States,  calling  their  attention  to  the  great  number  of  officers 
and  soldiers  in  their  respective  States  who  had  obtained  fur 
loughs  on  account  of  wounds  and  sickness,  but  who  had  recov 
ered,  and  were  overstaying  their  time.  On  the  receipt  of  this, 
the  Governor  prepared  a  circular,  calling  the  attention  of  the 
public  to  the  matters  complained  of,  in  which  he  said,  — 

"  Except  cowardice  in  the  field,  there  is  no  baser  offence  than  ab 
sence,  from  their  regiments,  of  officers  and  men  who  ought  to  be  back 
to  their  posts.  In  some  cases,  these  soldiers  delay  here  from  ignorance 
how  to  return  to  their  regiments  ;  all  such  should  be  instructed  by  their 
more  intelligent  neighbors.  Let  all  who  are  guilty  be  shamed  into  an 
immediate  return  to  their  regiments  :  if  they  will  not  voluntarily  return, 
they  are  deserters,  and  should  be  arrested,  and  sent  back." 

The  evils  complained  of  existed  in  all  the  States,  to  a  very 
great  extent,  and  could  only  be  eradicated  by  organized  effort 
on  the  part  of  the  States  and  the  nation. 


THE    TOWN    OF   MARBLEHEAD.  351 

On  the  1st  of  August,  the  Governor  wrote  a  long  letter  to 
Secretary  Stanton,  complaining  of  the  want  of  officers  to  mus 
ter  in  recruits  at  the  several  camps  ;  the  only  one  detailed  on 
that  duty  in  the  State  being  Captain  Goodhue,  of  the  regular 
service. 

"  Why  not,"  the  Governor  asks,  "  appoint  Colonel  William  Raymond 
Lee,  and  Captains  Putnam  and  Bartlett,  of  the  Massachusetts  Twen 
tieth  ;  Major  Robert  H.  Stevenson,  of  the  Twenty-fourth,  mustering 
officers  ?  —  all  of  them  now  at  home,  wounded,  and  unfit  to  return  to 
the  field,  but  anxious  and  eager  to  work.  The  want  of  mustering  offi 
cers  has  cost  us  hundreds  of  men,  infinite  trouble,  and  sometimes 
insubordination  in  camps  where  the  men  have  not  yet  been  mus 
tered." 

This  request  was,  in  part,  complied  with,  and  more  army 
officers  were  detailed  to  attend  the  camps,  and  muster  in 
men. 

The  following  permission  to  recruit  we  find  on  the  Govern 
or's  files,  in  his  own  handwriting,  dated  Aug.  1  :  — 

"  In  consequence  of  the  request  of  the  town  of  Marblehead,  made 
by  a  legal  town  meeting,  held  yesterday,  —  a  copy  of  the  record  which 
is  handed  me,  attested  b}^  the  town  clerk,  —  I  appoint,  at  the  nomina 
tion  of  the  other  gentlemen  who  came  to  represent  the  town,  SAMUEL 
ROADS,  Esq.,  additional  recruiting  agent  for  Marblehead.  He  will 
co-operate  with  the  town's  committee,  and  use  his  influence  to  forward 
the  enlistment ;  and  I  ask  the  good  people  of  Marblehead  to  support 
and  help  him  with  all  their  hearts  and  hands." 

As  the  town  authorities  throughout  the  State  were  authorized, 
under  general  orders,  to  recruit  the  quotas  of  their  towns,  we 
suspect  that  the  people  of  the  good  town  of  Marblehead  thought 
their  selectmen  were  not  as  active  in  the  discharge  of  this  pecu 
liar  duty  as  they  wished  to  have  them,  and  therefore  held  a  town 
meeting  on  the  subject. 

On  the  1st  of  August,  the  Governor  detailed  Colonel  William 
R.  Lee,  Twentieth  Regiment,  "to  establish  a  camp  of  rendezvous 
at  Pittsfield,  for  all  recruits  who  may  offer,  and  be  found  com 
petent."  The  United  States  mustering  and  disbursing  officers  in 
Boston  were  to  furnish  such  material  from  their  departments  as 
might  be  necessary. 


352  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

On  the  2d  of  August,  the  Governor  received  from  Major- 
General  Hooker  the  following  letter,  dated  Harrison's  Landing, 
James  River,  Va.,  July  29  ;  the  same  being  in  answer  to  one 
written  on  the  24th,  by  Governor  Andrew  :  — 

"  The  fate  of  Major  Chandler  is  still  involved  in  mystery.  I  have 
heard  of  his  having  been  in  Richmond,  and  also  of  his  having  been 
seen  on  his  way  to  Boston  ;  but,  in  tracing  up  these  reports,  I  regret  to 
say,  that  I  have  not  been  able  to  satisfy  myself  that  he  is  still  num 
bered  with  the  living.  I  may  also  add,  that  this  is  the  opinion  of  his 
regiment." 

Major  Chandler  was  a  young  gentleman  of  much  promise. 
He  was  major  of  the  First  Regiment,  and  was  killed  at  one  of 
the  battles  before  Richmond.  His  body  never  was  found,  nor 
was  any  information  ever  received  concerning  him  after  it  was 
ascertained  he  was  missing.  He  went  into  battle  with  his  regi 
ment,  and  never  returned.  His  simple  epitaph  might  be,  "He 
lived  and  died  for  his  country." 

Some  time  in  June  or  July,  the  Surgeon-General  of  the 
army  established  military  hospitals  at  different  posts  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  sick  and  \vounded,  and  issued  rigid 
orders  against  their  removal  to  their  homes.  These  orders 
caused  great  dissatisfaction  among  the  families  of  the  sick  and 
wounded  soldiers,  who  asked  that  their  suffering  sons,  husbands, 
and  brothers  might  be  released  from  army  hospitals,  and  cared 
for  at  their  homes.  These  orders,  for  a  time,  were  very  unpopu 
lar,  and  had  a  prejudicial  effect  upon  recruiting.  We  find,  on 
the  files  of  the  Governor,  the  Adjutant-General,  and  Surgeon- 
General,  a  great  many  letters,  complaining  of  these  arbitrary 
and  "cruel  orders,"  from  persons  whose  relatives,  wounded  and 
sick,  were  retained  in  the  hospitals,  and  refused  transportation 
to  their  homes.  Many  letters  were  written  the  State  officials  ; 
and  the  Governor  sent  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe  to  Washington, 
""  for  the  purpose  of  attempting  to  procure  some  mitigation  of 
the  rigor  of  the  present  system."  The  system,  however,  re 
mained  in  force ;  and,  like  other  usages  of  war,  the  people 
acquiesced  in  them  as  among  the  severities  required  for  the  good 
of  the  cause. 


GOVERNOR    TO    GENERAL   MCCLELLAN.  353 

Of  Joseph  W.  Wheelwright,  —  who  had  raised  a  number  of 
men,  and  who  had  reason  to  expect  a  command,  but,  for  mili 
tary  reasons,  the  men  whom  he  had  recruited  had  been  placed 
in  other  regiments  to  complete  their  organizations,  thus  leaving 
him  without  a  command  or  a  commission,  — the  Governor  wrote 
to  the  Adjutant-General,  Aug.  8, — 

"Mr.  Wheelwright  is  very  deserving.  There  are  circumstances 
connected  with  his  domestic  life  which  entitle  his  case  to  especial  con 
sideration.  I  rely  on  you,  by  hook  or  by  crook,  in  working  over  the 
Thirty-fifth,  to  find  a  place  for  a  lieutenancy  for  him ;  and  I  am  de 
sirous  that  this  shall  be  effected,  if,  by  any  possibility,  it  can  be 
done." 

The  request  is  another  evidence  of  the  kind  and  considerate 
regard  which  the  Governor  always  evinced  for  deserving  and 
patriotic  men.  Mr.  Wheelwright,  was  commissioned  a  second 
lieutenant  in  the  Thirty-second  Regiment,  and  died  in  the  ser 
vice,  Jan.  18,  1863. 

Meanwhile,  the  recruiting  was  going  on,  and  with  success 
greater  than  was  at  first  believed  could  be  attained.  The  oreat 

d?  O 

desire  of  the  Governor  was  to  fill  up  our  regiments  in  the  field, 
rather  than  to  recruit  new  ones.  The  generals  in  the  army  had 
written  to  him,  urging  the  importance  of  this  duty  ;  among  whom 
was  Major-General  McClellan,  whose  letter,  dated  July  15,  was 
answered  by  the  Governor  on  the  21st,  in  which  he  said  he 
should  "  zealously  and  studiously  seek  to  promote  the  measures 
and  methods  touching  the  new  enlistments  which  you  have  ad 
vised."  They  fully  accorded  with  his  own  views,  had  been 
expressed  in  his  general  orders  in  regard  to  recruiting. 

"  It  is  much  more  difficult  to  induce  men  to  go  into  old  corps  than 
to  join  new  ones.  For  this  there  are  general  reasons,  some  specious, 
but  all  of  them  superficial.  .  .  .  You  may  depend  upon  it,  I  shall 
turn  a  deaf  ear  to  every  resigning  officer,  unless  I  have  the  amplest 
proofs  of  his  ability,  gallantry,  and  innocence  of  any  offending  cause 
for  resignation.  I  deeply  regret  that  so  many  officers  of  the  volunteer 
army  have  disappointed  the  expectations  formed  of  them." 

The  Governor  adds,  that  he  had  appointed  Colonel  Ritchie, 
of  his  personal  staff,  to  visit  all  the  Massachusetts  regiments 

23 


354  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  to  report  to  him  their  con 
dition,  and  the  names  of  the  proper  persons  to  be  commis 
sioned  to  fill  existing  vacancies  of  field  and  line  officers.  Of 
Colonel  Ritchie's  report  to  the  Governor  we  have  spoken  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  and  from  it  made  several  extracts. 

On  the  26th  of  July,  Major-General  Fitz-John  Porter  wrote 
to  the  Governor  a  letter,  from  Harrison's  Landing,  Va.,  which 
was  promulgated  in  special  orders  July  30,  in  which  he  said,  — 

"  It  affords  me  great  gratification  to  express  to  you  my  admiration 
for  the  noble  conduct  of  the  troops  from  your  State,  under  my  com 
mand,  in  the  late  actions  before  Richmond.  No  troops  could  have 
behaved  better  than  did  the  Ninth  and  Twenty-second  Regiments  and 
Martin's  Battery  (the  Third),  and  portions  of  Allen's  (the  Fifth),  or 
done  more  to  add  to  our  success.  Their  thinned  ranks  tell  of  their 
trials  ;  the  brave  men  lost,  their  heroic  dead,  and  gallant  conduct,  and 
devotion  to  their  country.  Their  discipline  was  never  excelled  ;  and 
now,  with  undaunted  hearts,  they  await,  with  confidence  of  success, 
the  order  to  advance.  I  hope  you  will  be  able  to  send  on  men  to  fill 
their  depleted  ranks,  even  in  parties  of  ten,  as  fast  as  recruited.  A 
few  men  joining  us  now  gives  great  heart  to  all  men,  and  adds  to  our 
strength  nearly  five  times  the  same  number  in  new  regiments." 

The  call  issued  on  the  4th  of  August,  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  for  three  hundred  thousand  men  for  nine  months 
service,  added  materially  to  the  labors  of  the  Governor  and  the 
different  departments  of  the  State.  These  men  were  to  be 
drafted.  The  number  which  Massachusetts  was  called  upon  to 
furnish  was  nineteen  thousand  and  ninety.  Regulations  for  the 
enrolment  and  draft  were  issued  from  the  War  Department 
Au<r.  9,  and  additional  regulations  were  issued  on  the  14th  of 

O  '  O 

August,  directing  that  the  quotas  should  be  apportioned  by  the 
Governors  of  States  among  the  several  counties  and  subdivisions 
of  counties,  so  that  allowances  should  be  made  for  all  volunteers 
previously  furnished  and  mustered  into  the  United  States  service, 
whose  stipulated  terms  of  service  had  not  expired.  To  make 
this  new  enrolment,  and  establish  the  number  of  men  which  each 
town  and  city  must  furnish  to  complete  its  proportion  of  the 
nineteen  thousand  and  ninety  men  subject  to  draft,  required  great 
labor  and  accuracy  of  statement.  It  threw  an  immense  weight 


THE    ENROLMENT    OF    THE    STATE.  355 

of  responsibility  upon  the  Adjutant-General,  whose  duties  were 
already  extremely  arduous,  and  increased  in  a  great  degree  the 
labors  of  the  office.  This  was  so  apparent  to  the  Governor, 
that  he  appointed,  on  the  23d  of  August,  William  Rogers, 
Esq.,  of  Boston,  second  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  with  the 
rank  of  major,  who  was  specially  intrusted  with  the  superin 
tendence  of  all  matters  connected  with  the  enrolment  and 
allotment  of  the  quotas  which  each  city  and  town  was  required 
to  furnish  ;  a  duty  which  he  discharged  with  scrupulous  fidelity 
and  unquestioned  accuracy.  But,  as  Massachusetts  furnished 
her  contingent  within  a  reasonable  time  by  voluntary  enlist 
ments,  a  draft  was  avoided.  The  enrolment,  however,  which 
was  made  at  this  time,  the  credits  which  were  allowed  to  the 
several  municipalities  of  the  Commonwealth  for  men  already 
furnished  by  them,  and  the  proportion  which  they  were  required 
to  furnish  under  this  call,  remained  as  a  basis  upon  which  the 
quotas  of  the  cities  and  towns  were  apportioned,  from  that  time 
until  the  end  of  the  wrar ;  the  particulars  and  details  of  which 
can  be  found  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Adjutant-General 
for  the  year  1862,  but  need  not  be  enlarged  upon  in  these 
pages. 

From  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the  Rebellion,  the  Gov 
ernor,  the  city  and  town  authorities,  and  the  people  of  the  Com 
monwealth,  were  opposed  to  a  draft,  and  labored  to  avoid  it. 
Upon  these,  and  kindred  matters,  Governor  Andrew,  on  the 
8th  of  August,  sent  a  letter  to  President  Lincoln,  from 
which  we  make  the  following  extracts  : — 

"  I  sent  by  mail,  last  night,  to  General  Buckingham,  a  copy  of  Mas 
sachusetts  Militia  Laws,  and  remarks.  If  you  will  call  on  me,  by 
requisition,  for  our  quota  of  militia  for  nine  months'  duty  immediately, 
asking  for  so  many  regiments,  we  can  answer  the  call,  in  great  part, 
without  a  draft,  by  sending  our  militia  regiments  already  organized, 
and  being  filled  up,  and  by  recruiting  new  ones.  The  iron  is  hot : 
strike  quick.  Drafting  is  mechanical :  the  impulse  of  patriotism  is 
vital  and  dynamic. 

"  Call  for  our  militia  brigade,  under  General  Davis,  a  competent 
officer,  as  part  of  Massachusetts  militia  quota,  communicating  to  us,  at 
same  time,  number  of  militia  regiments  required  for  our  whole  quota. 


MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLIOX. 

His  brigade  includes  four  regiments  of  infantry,  all  of  which,  if 
called  for  now  for  nine  months,  can  be  filled  to  maximum,  and  march 
by  first  of  September.  Exclude  the  artillery  and  cavalry  of  brigade, 
if  you  desire  only  infantry.  It  will  begin  a  three  days'  encampment, 
under  State  laws,  next  Wednesday.  If  requisition  is  made  for  brigade, 
this  encampment  can  be  continued  right  on  till  brigade  is  ready  to 
march  to  war.  Davis's  military  capacity  is  unquestioned.  I  have 
thrice  offered  him  colonelcies  of  volunteers. 

"  All  leading  merchants  here  have  signed  agreement,  that  their  em 
ployes  who  enlist  shall  resume  their  employment  when  returned.  I 
am  confident  of  getting  more  volunteers  and  militia  this  month  by 
enlistments,  and  by  wheeling  militia  men  into  line,  than  conscription 
could  bring  in  same  time.  Meanwhile,  will  be  preparing  machinery 
for  draft. 

"  Our  people  want  nothing  to  spur  them,  but  assurance  from  Wash 
ington  that  the  enemy  shall  be  conquered,  and  right  vindicated  at- all 
hazards  by  our  arms.  They  will  go,  if  the  flag  may  but  advance  with 
all  the  principles  it  symbolizes.  The  enemy  has  spurned  constitutional 
rights,  and  chosen  belligerent  rights.  Let  them  have  one  or  the  other, 
but  not  both.  They  having  elected  the  latter,  let  us  give  them  full 
measure.  Give  us  the  grand  inspiration  of  duty  to  country,  human 
nature,  and  God,  and  the  people  are  heroic,  invincible,  and  always 
ready." 

The  Governor  had  written  a  few  days  before  to  the  Secretary 
of  War,  complaining  of  the  delay  practised  by  the  United-States 
officers  stationed  here  in  paying  the  bounties  and  month's  pay 
to  recruits  after  being  mustered  in.  On  the  llth  of  August, 
Secretary  Stanton  telegraphs  a  reply  to  this  letter,  and  also 
to  the  telegram  sent  to  the  President,  from  which  we  have 
quoted,  - 

"  Answer  to  your  telegram  of  the  8th,  to  the  President,  has  been  de 
layed,  in  order  to  obtain  information  from  some  other  States  as  to  the 
condition  of  enlistments.  Requisitions  for  enlistments  and  bounty 
funds  were  delayed  some  days  in  the  Treasury  unavoidably  ;  but  I  am 
informed  that  the  amount  required  for  your  State  has  gone  forward. 
I  see  no  objection  to  making  the  call  upon  your  State  for  militia  in  the 
manner  indicated  by  you,  especially  if  it  will  hasten  the  arrival  of 
troops  ;  but  I  do  not  see  how  we  can  call  for  any  specific  brigade. 
You  can  turn  over  the  regiments  constituting  Davis's  brigade  as  a  part 
of  the  call.  Time  is  of  the  utmost  importance  in  the  organization." 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  357 

The  brigade  of  nine  months'  men  was  never  accepted, 
although  the  regiments  which  composed  General  Davis's  com 
mand  were  recruited  to  the  maximum,  mustered  in,  and  sent 
to  the  front.  What  the  Governor  said  of  General  Davis  was 
just  and  true.  He  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Thirty- 
ninth  Regiment,  three  years' volunteers,  Aug.  29,  1862,  which 
joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  ;  and  was  killed  in  action, 
July  11,  1864. 

On  the  llth  of  August,  after  receiving  the  telegram  above 
quoted,  the  Governor  wrote  to  President  Lincoln,  — 

"  I  can't  get  these  regiments  off,  because  I  can't  get  quick,  ener 
getic  work  out  of  the  United  States  disbursing  officer  and  the  pay 
master.  I  cannot  start  our  men  in  violation  of  my  authorized  pro 
clamation  and  promises.  Everybody  here  is  alive  ;  men  swarm  our 
camps  ;  we  will  raise  regiments,  until  you  cry  hold.  But  why  not 
turn  over  the  funds  to  me,  and  we  will  disburse  and  account  for  them 
and  stop  delays." 

On  the  12th  of  August,  the  Governor  telegraphs  the  Secre 
tary  of  War,  — 

"  The  nine  months'  regiments,  which  are  organizing,  will  be  put  into 
camp  at  once,  and  under  strict  discipline.  May  I  go  on,  and  make 
requisitions  for  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  supplies,  as  for  three 
years'  men  ?  " 

Authority  was  given.  On  the  same,  he  writes  to  Brigadier- 
General  Briggs,  who  was  in  Boston  on  wounded  furlough, — 

"As  you  have  expressed  a  wish  to  do  some  service  for  the  State 
while  waiting  here,  I  ask  you,  as  a  great  favor,  to  repair  to  Worcester 
to-morrow,  to  inspect  the  condition  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Regiment,  and 
make  a  report  to  me  as  to  its  organization,  —  conferring  with  me  and 
with  the  Adjutant-General  before  leaving." 

Aug.  13.  —  Governor  telegraphs  Adjutant-General  Thomas, 
Washington,  "  Can  the  nine  months'  militia  of  Massachusetts 
be  mustered  in  now,  and  as  fast  as  they  present  them 
selves?  Please  answer  at  once."  Leave  was  only  given  to 
have  them  mustered  in  by  full  companies.  On  the  same  day, 
he  telegraphed  to  Assistant  Adjutant  -  General  Towusend, 
"Please  telegraph  whether  furloughs  granted  between  July  31 


358  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLIOX. 

and  Aug.  11  are  revoked  by  General  Order  92  of  July 
31."  On  the  same  day,  Colonel  Browne,  by  direction  of  the 
Governor,  forwards  to  John  M.  Forbes  copies  of  certain 
papers  in  relation  to  supplies  furnished  by  Mr.  Forbes  to  our 
prisoners  of  war  in  Richmond,  Va.,  with  information  that  "the 
Quartermaster-General  of  the  Commonwealth  will  have  pleas 
ure  in  adjusting  with  you  your  account  against  the  State  for 
funds  advanced  by  you  for  the  supplies  mentioned ;  and  the 
Governor  directs  me  to  renew  to  you,  officially  and  personally, 
the  expression  of  his  thanks  for  your  generous  kindness  in  this 
transaction." 

Among  the  letters  and  papers  transmitted  to  Mr.  Forbes  by 
Colonel  Browne  was  the  following  by  Adjutant  Peirson  of  the 
Twentieth  Regiment,  dated  Camp  Lee,  Poolesville,  Md.,  March 
8,  1862,  and  addressed  to  Colonel  Browne  :  — 

"  By  special  request  of  His  Excellency  Governor  Andrew,  I  have 
the  honor  to  report,  that  while  a  prisoner  of  war  in  Richmond,  Va.,  I 
received  a  letter  of  credit  from  John  M.  Forbes,  Esq.,  for  $1,000. 
A  portion  of  this  money,  $475,  I  expended  for  the  benefit  of  enlisted 
men  belonging  to  various  Massachusetts  regiments,  and  confined  in 
Richmond  and  other  places  in  Southern  States.  On  being  released 
and  sent  home,  I  left  the  balance  subject  to  the  draft  of  Assistant-Sur 
geon  E.  H.  R.  Revere,  Twentieth  Regiment  Massachusetts  Volunteers, 
with  instructions  to  expend  it,  as  I  had  already  done,  for  luxuries  for 
the  sick  and  necessities  for  the  well.  He  will  report  to  you  for  the 
balance  in  his  hands.  You  will  pardon  my  omitting  to  make  a  more 
detailed  report,  as  I  write  while  in  the  field  and  under  marching 
orders." 

Another  letter  is  from  Assistant-Surgeon  Revere,  in  which 
he  states,  that,  after  the  departure  from  Richmond  of  Lieutenant 
Peirson,  he  had  no  occasion  to  draw  on  the  letter  of  credit  fur 
nished  by  Mr.  Forbes.  He  inclosed  a  copy  of  the  account  of 
Messrs.  Enders,  Sutton,  &  Co.,  with  Lieutenant  Peirson, 
which  statement  merely  shows  that  the  amount  drawn  by  Lieu 
tenant  Peirson  was  $475. 

The  whole  matter  had  been  laid  before  the  Executive  Council 
by  the  Governor,  and  by  them  it  was  voted  that  the  sum  ex 
pended  should  be  reimbursed  to  Mr.  Forbes,  principal  and 


LETTERS  OF  THE  GOVERNOR.  359 

interest.  This  transaction,  although  not  of  a  great  pecuniary 
amount,  is  interesting,  as  showing  the  warm  sympathy  which 
Mr.  Forbes  felt  in  the  welfare  of  our  prisoners,  the  scrupulous 
honesty  of  the  officers  intrusted  to  disburse  the  money,  and  the 
determination  of  the  Governor  and  Council  that  the  sum  thus 
expended  should  be  assumed  by  the  State. 

On  the  fourteenth  day  of  August,  the  Governor  writes  to 
Joseph  F.  Hitchcock,  Warren,  — 

"  It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
letter  dated  this  day,  which  makes  known  to  me  the  patriotic  action  of 
the  citizens  of  Warren  at  the  meeting  held  last  evening,  at  which,  you 
inform  me,  thirty  persons  volunteered  to  make  up  the  quota  of  your 
town  under  the  draft  ordered  by  the  President  of  the  United  States. 
I  am  pleased,  also,  to  learn  of  the  prompt  zeal  with  which  the  quota  of 
the  town  of  Warren,  under  the  first  call,  has  been  brought  into  camp  ;  it 
reflects  great  honor  upon  the  town.  In  reply  to  the  question  contained 
in  your  letter,  I  would  cordially  recommend  that  the  people  of  Warren 
unite  with  some  of  the  neighboring  towns,  and  present  a  full  company, 
as  suggested  by  you." 

On  the  same  day,  he  wrote  to  Captain  Lucius  Slade,  of  Bos 
ton,  commanding  the  Boston  Lancers,  — 

"  I  assure  you  that  it  is  quite  impossible  for  any  one  who  is  not 
with  me  to  understand  how  hard  I  work  to  put  into  the  new  regiments 
as  commissioned  officers  our  fine  young  fellows  who  are  now  in  service, 
and  how  consistently  and  unanimously  I  am  opposed  in  this  policy  by 
city  and  town  officers,  and  committees  claiming  to  represent  the  wishes 
of  their  vicinities,  who  all  demand  that  their  own  townspeople  shall  be 
appointed  as  officers  of  the  companies  they  have  raised.  I  work  in  all 
the  soldiers  that  I  can,  but  still  must  usually  give  men  belonging  to 
their  own  towns." 

Aug.  15.  —  The  Governor  sends  telegram  to  Secretary 
Stanton,  that  the  Thirty-third  Regiment,  Colonel  Maggi,  left 
for  Washington  the  day  before,  and  that  the  Thirty-fourth, 
Colonel  Wells,  would  leave  that  day.  The  Governor  then 

says,  — 

"  In  the  material  of  their  men,  these  regiments  are  excelled  by  no 
others  Massachusetts  has  sent.  If  it  shall  be  necessary  to  send  them 
immediately  into  the  field,  it  is  the  desire  of  Maggi  to  be  assigned  to 


360  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Sigel,  and  of  Wells  to  Banks  ;  and  I  should  like  to  have  their  wishes 
gratified.  Both  these  regiments  would  have  gone  a  week  ago,  but  for 
the  delay  in  giving  them  their  bounty  and  advance  pay." 

These  regiments  were  assigned  as  desired.  Colonel  Maggi, 
of  the  Thirty- third,  resigned  his  commission  April  1,  1863. 
Colonel  George  D.  Wells,  of  the  Thirty-fourth,  a  judge  of 
the  Police  Court  of  Boston  when  the  war  broke  out,  who 
accepted  the  commission  of  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  First 
Massachusetts  Regiment  of  Infantry,  three  years'  volunteers, 
and  who  had  signalized  himself  for  bravery  and  military  ability 
in  the  campaign  on  Richmond,  was  killed  in  action,  Oct.  13, 
1864,  and  was  bre vetted  brigadier-general  of  volunteers  by 
the  President  of  the  United  States  for  brave  and  meritorious 
services. 

The  same  day  (Aug.  15),  the  Governor  writes  to  Hon.  Car 
ver  Hotchkiss,  Shelburne  Falls  :  — 

"  For  more  than  a  month  I  have  been  engaged  in  a  constant  strug 
gle  with  town  officers  to  get  deserving  men  from  the  field  appointed  to 
lieutenancies  and  captaincies  in  the  new  regiments,  in  preference  to 
ignorant  civilians,  who  have  every  thing  military  yet  to  learn.  In 
most  instances,  I  have  failed,  owing  to  the  necessity  I  am  under  of 
hastening  enlistments  as  much  as  possible,  and  to  the  town  authorities 
declaring,  officially  and  individually,  that  they  cannot  raise  men  unless 
men  at  home,  and  from  civil  life,  are  appointed  officers  ;  and  owing 
also  to  the  fact  that  the  Administration  will  allow  no  man  to  be  ap 
pointed  from  the  field,  until  all  the  men  are  raised  whom  he  is  to  com 
mand.  The  result  is,  that  I  have  on  my  files  several  hundred  of 
applications  from  prominent  officers  of  Burnside's  army  and  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  and  of  Virginia,  recommending  the  promotion, 
into  new  regiments,  of  men  who  have  distinguished  themselves  in  the 
field  for  uniform  good  conduct  and  great  bravery.  Your  son's  name  is 
among  the  number,  and,  as  with  the  rest,  I  should  be  glad  to  put  him 
anywhere  that  a  place  could  be  found  for  him ;  but,  as  with  the  rest,  I 
seek  in  vain  for  such  a  place.  If  a  new  company  of  three  years'  men 
is  being  raised  by  your  town  and  its  neighbors,  and  you  can  connect 
your  son  with  its  organization  instead  of  some  inexperienced  man, 
who  in  the  natural  course  of  affairs  might  otherwise  be  injected  there, 
that  would  afford  me  the  opportunity." 

It  is  proper  to  state  here  that  the  evil  complained  of  in  the 


LETTERS    OF    THE    GOVERNOR.  361 

above  letter  naturally  grew  out  of  the  system  adhered  to  by 
the  War  Department,  by  not  allowing  men  who  had  distin 
guished  themselves  in  service  to  come  home  and  recruit  men  for 
the  new  regiments,  so  as  to  be  commissioned  officers  when 
the  regiment  was  raised.  The  town  authorities  were  anxious  to 
fill  their  quotas  ;  and  in  every  town  there  were  young  men  in 
every  way  qualified,  except  by  practical  experience  in  war,  to 
have  commissions.  They  exerted  themselves  to  raise  men,  and 
many  enlisted  because  of  their  exertion,  who  preferred  that 
these  men  whom  they  knew  should  be  their  officers.  Hence 
it  was,  that,  while  the  Governor  wished  to  appoint  officers  from 
the  regiments  in  the  field,  the  town  authorities,  and  the  recruits 
themselves,  wished  to  have  men  commissioned  who  had  aided  in 
recruiting,  and  who  were  personally  known  to  the  recruits  them 
selves.  Many  letters  were  written  by  the  Governor  in  regard 
to  this  matter  ;  but  the  evil  being  chronic,  and  beyond  his  power 
to  cure,  it  continued  until  the  end  of  the  war. 

It  would  appear  by  the  following  letter,  written  by  Colonel 
Browne,  to  Cyrus  W.  Francis,  Yale  College,  New  Haven,  Ct., 
that  the  first  attempt  to  enlist  colored  volunteers  was  by  Gov 
ernor  Sprague,  of  Rhode  Island, — 

"  By  direction  of  Governor  Andrew,  I  beg  to  acknowledge  the  re 
ceipt  of  your  letter,  and  to  reply,  advising  you  to  place  yourself 
in  communication  and  co-operation  with  the  Governor  of  Rhode 
Island,  on  the  subject  of  the  enlistment  of  the  company  of  colored 
men  as  volunteers.  It  will  be  essential  to  the  recruitment  of  the 
colored  regiment  commenced  by  Governor  Sprague,  that  the  colored 
population  of  other  States  shall  contribute  towards  it,  the  number  of 
persons  of  African  descent  in  the  State  of  Rhode  Island  alone  being 
insufficient  for  the  purpose." 

It  is  proper  and  just,  however,  to  say  that  the  first  regiment 
of  colored  troops,  of  which  we  shall  have  more  to  say  hereafter, 
was  raised  in  Massachusetts. 

On  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  August,  the  Governor  addressed 
the  following  letter  to  Hon.  J.  G.  Abbott,  Boston  :  - 

"  MY  DEAR  SIR,  —  Not  merely  a  certain  official  relation  towards 
a  brave  young  man,  a  citizen  of  Massachusetts  and  a  soldier  of  the 
Union  lately  sustained  and  now  severed,  but  a  sincere  sympathy  with 


362  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

his  father,  whom,  after  all,  I  can  scarcely  call  bereaved,  invites  me,  after 
a  brief  space  of  respectful  silence,  to  offer  my  humble  word  of  friend 
ship  and  consolation.  An  acquaintance  of  many  years,  less  familiar 
perhaps  than  it  had  been  useful  to  me  had  the  opportunity  existed, 
assures  me  that  the  resources  of  the  mind  of  the  man  will  do  much  to 
alleviate  the  grief  and  desolation  which  must  depress  the  heart  of  the 
father.  And,  while  I  know  that  nothing  I  can  suggest  will  not  have 
been  anticipated,  I  venture  to  hope,  that  a  simple  and  earnest  expres 
sion  of  natural  and  human  sympathy  will  be  received  and  valued,  if 
only  for  the  sake  of  the  kindness  with  which  it  is  meant.  I  have  fre 
quently  been  impressed,  my  dear  sir,  with  the  manly  spirit  with  which 
you  have  repeatedly  arid  freely  offered  your  sons  to  your  country ;  and 
now  that,  in  the  providence  of  God,  one  of  them  has  been  verily  taken, 
I  would  that  it  were  in  my  power,  by  a  feather's  weight  even,  to  soften 
the  blow.  But  I  rejoice  to  bear  my  hearty  testimony,  which  is  all  that 
I  can  do,  to  the  constant,  uniform,  and  conspicuous  merit,  as  a  soldier 
and  a  gentleman,  of  the  son  you  have  given.  I  think  you  will  always 
have  a  right  to  remember,  with  the  pride  equalled  only  by  parental 
love,  that  our  inheritance  in  a  Commonwealth  is  made  richer  and 
nobler  by  the  memories  of  such  dear  and  brave  boys  of  Massachusetts, 
whose  young  lives,  consecrated  even  to  death,  were  beautiful  testi 
monies  of  the  preciousness  of  our  birthright  and  the  worth  of  liberty. 
I  pray  leave,  my  dear  sir,  to  offer,  through  yourself,  to  your  family  my 
respectful  sympathy  and  respect." 

This  beautiful  and  touching  letter  was  written  to  Mr.  Abbott 
on  the  death  of  his  son,  Edward  Gr.  Abbott,  who  was  killed  in 
action,  Aug.  9,  1862.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  Second 
Regiment  Massachusetts  Infantry.  Mr.  Abbott  had  two  sons 
in  the  war,  —  one  in  the  Second,  and  one  in  the  Twentieth 
Regiment.  His  other  son,  Henry  L.  Abbott,  went  out  a  cap 
tain  in  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  rose  to  the  rank  of  major,  and 
was  killed  in  the  Wilderness,  May  6,  1864.  They  were  young 
men  of  great  promise,  born  and  reared  in  the  city  of  Lowell, 
graduates  of  Harvard  College,  and  both  now  lie  beneath  a  sol 
diers'  monument  in  the  cemetery  of  their  native  city.  These 
were  all  the  sons  of  the  family. 

On  the  twenty-third  day  of  August,  an  executive  order  was 
issued,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  :  — 

"  In  order  to  promote  the  recruitment  of  the  Massachusetts  quotas, 


THE    APPOINTMENT    OF    OFFICEPtS.  363 

both  of  volunteers  and  militia,  I  respectfully  recommend  that  throuo-h- 
out  the  Commonwealth,  and  especially  in  the  cities  and  larger  towns, 
business  generally  be  suspended  during  the  afternoons  of  the  coining 
week,  and  that  the  time  and  influence  of  every  citizen  be  Driven  to  en- 

v 

couraging  enlistments,  by  the  example  of  his  own  enrolment,  if  he  is 
within  the  prescribed  limits  of  age  and  health,  and,  if  not,  by  stimulat 
ing  the  patriotism  of  his  neighbors. 

"  JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 
"  By  His  Excellency  the  Governor. 

" OLIVER  WARNER,  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth" 

This  order  was  very  generally  observed  throughout  the  Com 
monwealth,  until  the  thirty-four  thousand  men  which  we  were  to 
raise  were  organized  into  regiments,  and  sent  forward  to  the 
war. 

In  the  appointment  of  field  officers  for  the  new  three  years' 
regiments,  the  Governor  determined  to  appoint  men  who  had 
seen  service,  and  who  had  given  unquestionable  evidence  of 
bravery  and  military  capacity.  Accordingly,  he  wrote  to  Mr. 
Stanton,  at  different  times,  for  the  discharge  of  Captain  Bates, 
of  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  to  be  commissioned  major  of  the 
Thirty-third  ;  Lieutenant-Colonel  Batchelder,  of  the  Thirteenth, 
and  others,  that  they  might  be  promoted  to  higher  commands 
in  new  regiments.  It  appears  that  these  applications  met  with 
serious  opposition  from  army  officers,  as  we  find  on  the  Gov 
ernor's  files  a  letter,  dated  Aug.  24,  addressed  to  Mr.  Stanton, 
in  which  he  says,  — 

u  I  am  right,  no  matter  what  the  army  officers  think  or  say,  in  ask 
ing  you  for  some  officers  to  be  promoted  in  the  new  regiments.  Our 
old  ones  have  plenty  of  men  well  worthy  of  promotion  ;  and,  when  I 
take  out  an  officer,  I  merely  make  it  weaker  by  one  man  :  a  good  man 
below  him  stands  ready  to  make  good  the  place  vacated.  In  a  new 
regiment  just  marching  to  the  field,  a  few  good  fellows,  who  know  what 
camp  life  and  battles  are,  are  valuable  beyond  price  to  all  the  rest  of 
the  command.  Batchelder,  of  the  Thirteenth,  is  not  needed  there. 
That  regiment  could  furnish  officers  for  a  whole  regiment  outside  of 
itself,  and  be  no  more  weakened  than  is  a  bird  by  laying  its  eggs.  It 
is  remarkable  for  its  excellence  of  material.  ...  I  beg  you,  my  dear 
sir,  to  forgive  my  explicitness  ;  for  I  know  that  if  here,  where  you  could 
cross-examine  me,  you  would  be  satisfied  I  am  right." 


364  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

Aug.  25.  —  Governor  telegraphs  Mr.  Stanton,  — 

"  We  have  now  recruited  thirteen  thousand  eight  hundred  and  one 
men  for  three  years,  under  July  requisition.  Nothing  done  afternoons 
in  Massachusetts  but  recruiting.  Balance  of  quota  sure.  So  will  be 
militia  quota.  If  supplies  are  ready,  I  mean  the  old  Sixth  Regiment, 
of  Baltimore  memory,  to  march  the  first  day  of  September.  No  draft 
can  be  useful  or  expedient  here." 

One  of  the  greatest  hardships  which  Massachusetts  and  other 
maritime  States  had  to  bear  in  furnishing  their  quotas  of  the 
several  calls  for  troops  made  by  the  President,  was  the.  refusal 
of  Congress  to  allow  credits  for  men  serving  in  the  navy.  It 
bore  with  peculiar  weight  upon  the  towns  in  Barnstable,  Nan- 
tucket,  Essex,  Suffolk,  Plymouth,  and  Norfolk  Counties,  which 
had  sent  many  thousand  men  into  the  navy,  but  had  received  no 
credit  for  them,  and  no  reduction  of  their  contingent  for  the  army. 
It  was  not  until  1864,  after  Massachusetts  had  sent  upwards  of 
twenty-three  thousand  men  into  the  navy,  that  credits  were 
allowed  by  Congress  for  the  men  who  manned  our  frigates, 
under  Porter  and  Farragut,  watched  blockade-runners,  and 
sealed  the  Southern  ports.  Governor  Andrew  had  frequently 
spoken  of  the  injustice  of  Congress  in  refusing  to  allow  these 
credits,  and  had  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to  effect  a 
change.  On  the  27th  of  August,  he  telegraphed  to  Governor 
Washburn,  of  Maine,  — 

"  Has  Maine  succeeded  in  obtaining  an  allowance  on  her  men  in  the 
navy  towards  the  army  draft  ?  If  not,  does  she  propose  to  be  content 
without  such  an  allowance  ?  How  can  some  towns  possibly  fill  their 
quotas  without  it  ?  " 

On  the  same  day  in  which  the  above  was  written,  Governor 
Andrew  drew  up  a  form  of  a  letter,  addressed  to  President 
Lincoln,  which  was  sent  to  the  Governors  of  the  New-England 
States,  which,  if  approved,  they  were  requested  to  sign.  The 
letter  received  their  sanction  and  their  signatures,  and  was  for 
warded  to  the  President  of  the  United  States.  It  read  as 
follows  :  — 

"We  unite  in  respectfully  but  most  urgently  presenting  to  your 
attention  the  inequality  of  the  militia  draft  among  the  States,  caused 


IMPEDIMENTS    TO    ENLISTMENTS.  365 

by  withholding  every  allowance  for  men  sent  into  the  naval  service. 
The  New-England  States  have  many  thousands  of  volunteers  in  the 
national  navy,  belonging  chiefly  to  the  sea-coast  counties,  which  are 
nevertheless  to  be  subject  to  the  same  draft  as  the  counties  in  the  in 
land  States.  So  great  is  this  inequality,  that,  if  the  draft  is  to  be 
vigorously  imposed  on  some  of  our  seaports  without  making  this  allow 
ance,  it  will  absorb  the  whole  male  population  of  those  towns  within 
the  limits  of  the  military  age." 

The  letter  produced  no  change ;  and  the  towns  referred  to 
succeeded  in  filling  their  quotas  by  inducing  persons  to  enlist 
from  other  places  to  their  credit. 

On  the  28th  of  August,  the  Adjutant-General  reported  to 
the  Governor  thus  :  — 

"  In  recruiting  the  nine  months'  men,  we  meet  with  obstacles  at  every 
step.  The  mustering  officer  refuses  to  muster  them  in  until  a  regiment 
is  full.  Now  he  also  refuses  to  furnish  transportation  for  the  recruits 
to  camp,  and  there  is  no  way  to  get  them  to  camp  unless  the  State 
assumes  the  responsibility,  or  the  officers  and  men  pay  their  fares  from 
their  own  means.  As  this  is  a  matter  of  serious  importance,  I  ask 
your  Excellency's  orders  what  to  do." 

The  same  day,  the  Governor  telegraphed  these  facts  to  Mr. 
Stanton,  and  added,  — 

"  We  have  more  than  five  thousand  nine  months'  men  ready  to  go 
into  service  immediately,  who  have  abandoned  their  avocations,  and  ask 
only  to  be  received  at  once,  but  are  repressed  and  discouraged  by  these 
repulses.  If  I  were  capable  of  discouragement,  I  should  be  almost 
discouraged  by  the  obstacles  which  block  my  efforts  at  every  turn.  If 
the  whole  recruitment,  transportation,  and  equipment  were  left  to  the 
State  as  last  year,  we  should  be  a  month  ahead  of  our  present 
position." 

Mr.  Stanton  telegraphed,  that  it  was  by  law  impossible  for 
him  to  put  the  recruitment  of  the  militia,  and  the  disbursement 
of  the  funds,  into  the  hands  of  the  Governor;  to  which  he 
wrote  a  long  and  able  reply,  showing  that  all  reason  and  expe 
rience  proves  the  absolute  necessity  that  human  affairs  should 
be  controlled  from  the  centre,  and  not  from  the  circumference. 
He  says, — 


366  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

"  Perhaps  we  are  doing  as  well  as  other  States  ;  but  it  nearly  drives 
me  mad  when  I  see  the  American  armies  running  before  a  generation 
of  scoundrels,  and  American  liberty  almost  prostrate  before  a  power 
which  challenges  government  itself,  outrages  humanity,  and  defies  God  ; 
and  when  I  know  the  full  strength  and  power  of  our  Massachusetts 
people  is  unused,  and  incapable  of  being  fully  used,  by  reason  simply 
of  formal  and  mechanical  defects  of  system  and  method,  I  feel  as  if 
we  absolutely  did  nothing.  Our  State  is  one  vast  camp  ;  the  people, 
from  midday  until  midnight,  close  their  shops  and  stores,  and  work  for 
the  recruitment.  God  only  knows  whether  the  President  will  ever 
burst  his  bonds  of  Border-Stateism  and  McClellan  :  but  the  people 
somehow  are  blessed  with  an  instinct  of  faith,  before  which,  I  believe, 
mountains  themselves  will  move ;  and  I  work  with  the  same  confi 
dence  and  zeal  as  if  I  knew  that  they  had  moved  already.  1  believe 
that  Providence  has  made  too  great  an  investment,  alike  in  the  history 
and  in  the  capacity  of  this  people,  to  permit  their  ruin.  I  am  sure  you 
feel  as  I  do  ;  and  if  I  had  a  power  of  speech  which  could  raise  the  dead, 
like  the  trumpet  of  an  archangel,  or  if  words  could  blister  the  granite 
rocks  of  Mount  Washington,  still,  no  voice  nor  language  could  ex 
press  the  sentiments  of  emotion  which  befit  the  occasion  and  the 
hour." 

An  arrangement  was  made,  at  this  time,  for  the  Governors 
of  the  New-England  States  to  meet,  as  if  accidentally,  at  the 
Commencement  of  Brown  University,  in  Providence,  on  the  3d 
of  September,  "  for  an  hour  of  frank  and  uninterrupted  conver 
sation."  The  meeting  was  held ;  but  no  intimation  of  what 
was  discussed,  or  what  was  done,  appears  upon  the  Executive 
files. 

In  the  latter  part  of  August,  trie  scene  of  active  war  was 
changed  from  before  Richmond,  to  the  army  under  General 
Pope,  before  Washington.  The  losses  in  the  Union  army  were 
very  great.  The  Secretary  of  War  telegraphed  the  Governor 
to  send  forward  additional  surgeons  to  take  charge  of  the  sick 
and  wounded.  Surgeon-General  Dale  was  directed  to  make 
arrangements  to  comply  with  the  request,  and  to  send  forward 
hospital  stores.  On  the  1st  of  September,  the  Governor  tele 
graphed  to  Mr.  Stanton, — 

"  In  obedience  to  your  telegram  received  at  five  o'clock,  Saturday 
afternoon,  eleven  first-rate  surgeons  started  immediately  ;  thirty  more 


MEMORIAL    OF    PHYSICIANS.  367 

left  Massachusetts  yesterday,  —  all  regularly  detailed  by  our  Surgeon- 
General,  under  your  order,  —  and  all  surgeons  of  high  character  and 
ability  :  also,  nine  car-loads  of  hospital  stores  left  Boston  last  night." 

On  the  fifteenth  day  of  September,  the  Governor  wrote  to 
the  Secretary  of  War,  recommending  the  appointment  of  Gen 
eral  Strong  to  the  command  of  the  post  of  New  York,  in  place 
of  the  officer  then  there.  He  preferred  to  have  one  selected 
from  civil  life,  rather  than  one  whose  experience  and  education 
was  only  military.  New  York  is  the  gate  through  which  our 
regiments  advance  to  the  war,  and  through  which  also  "our 
poor  and  wounded  men,  brave  in  their  patience,  and  more  than 
heroic  in  their  sufferings,  are  obliged  to  return,  as  they  wearily 
and  sadly  are  borne  home  to  die."  General  Strong,  here 
spoken  of,  probably  was  the  gentleman  who  was  chief-of-staff 
to  General  Butler  while  in  command  of  the  Department  of  New 
England,  and  who  was  afterwards  killed  at  Fort  Wagner.  But 
of  this  we  are  not  certain. 

On  the  first  day  of  October,  the  Governor  forwarded  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  a  memorial  signed  by  about  seventy-five  phy 
sicians  of  Massachusetts,  among  whom  were  many  of  the  most 
distinguished  in  the  State,  setting  forth  that  the  ambulance 
arrangements  of  the  United-States  army  were  extremely  de 
fective,  and  caused  great  suffering  to  our  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers  ;  and  suggesting  that  the  cause  of  humanity  and  the 
real  welfare  of  the  soldiers  would  be  promoted  by  placing  the 
control  of  this  part  of  the  service  more  immediately  under  the 
supervision  of  the  Medical  Department  of  the  United  States, 
with  authority  to  authorize  a  distinct  ambulance  corps. 

On  the  same  day,  he  wrote  to  the  President,  bringing  to  his 
attention  a  certain  injustice  done  our  soldiers,  in  keeping  them 
imprisoned  without  trial  by  court-martial ;  and  suggesting, 
that  a  board  be  convened  by  the  Governors  of  States  for 
such  duty,  the  following  names  to  constitute  the  board  for 
Massachusetts  :  Major-General  William  Sutton,  Brigadier-Gen 
eral  Richard  A.  Peirce,  Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  C.  Holmes, 
Lieutenant-Colonel  John  W.  Wetherell,  Major  Charles  W. 
Wilder,  Major  Thornton  K.  Lothrop,  Captain  George  H. 
Shaw,  Lieutenant  Curtis  B.  Raymond,  and,  for  Judge-Advo- 


3G8  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

cate,  Mjijor  William  L.  Burt,  all  of  whom  held  commissions 
under  the  Governor  in  the  Massachusetts  militia.  The  Gov 
ernor  draws  the  attention  of  the  President  to  chapter  201  of  the 
Acts  of  Congress  of  1862,  which  gives  him  power  for  the  ap 
pointment  of  such  a  board.  The  suggestion  of  the  Governor 
\vas  not  approved ;  at  least,  the  board  recommended  was  never 
convened. 

The  battle  of  Antietam,  in  which  many  of  the  Massachu 
setts  officers  and  men  were  killed  and  wounded,  was  fought 
Sept.  15,  1862.  Dr.  Hitchcock,  of  Fitchburg,  a  member  of  the 
Executive  Council,  was  requested  by  the  Governor  to  obtain, 
if  possible,  from  General  McClellan,  the  transfer  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  soldiers  to  our  own  State  hospitals  for  treatment.  Dr. 
Hitchcock  says, — 

"  I  called  at  General  McClellan's  headquarters,  and  delivered  the 
Governor's  written  request,  which  he  immediately  telegraphed  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,  to  which  a  favorable  reply  was  returned.  This 
interview,  which  lasted  but  a  few  minutes,  was  remarkable  for  polite 
ness  and  deliberation  on  his  part.  He  sat  cross-legged,  and  puffed  away 
at  a  fragrant  Havana,  and,  at  the  interval  of  each  clearly  expressed 
sentence,  would  gently  snap  the  ashes  from  the  end  of  the  cigar. 
During  this  interview,  with  the  most  perfect  nonchalance,  he  made 
known  the  fact  that  eleven  thousand  wounded  men  were  lying  near  his 
tent,  and  that  the  headquarters  of  General  Lee,  with  his  rebel  army? 
was  only  three  miles  distant,  across  the  Potomac.  It  is  needless,  per 
haps,  to  add,  that  the  consent  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  the  willing 
word,  but  non-action,  of  General  McClellan,  failed  in  the  fullest 
sense  to  realize  the  urgent  request  of  Governor  Andrew  in  reference 
to  our  men.  Many  of  our  soldiers  were,  however,  brought  home  from 
that  bloody  field,  and  tenderly  cared  for  in  the  hospitals  of  the  State, 
and  at  the  homes  of  the  men." 

It  would  be  difficult  to  describe  accurately  the  excitement  and 
interest  which  the  great  battle  of  Antietam  created  in  Massa 
chusetts.  The  great  majority  of  our  regiments  and  batteries 
were  engaged  in  it.  Several  of  our  best  officers  were  killed  ; 
many  were  wounded  ;  and  the  fatality  which  attended  the  rank 
and  file  was  terrible.  It  was  a  victory,  however,  —  a  victory  for 
the  Union,  a  triumph  for  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  over  the 


RETURN   OF    THE    SICK   AND    WOUNDED.  369 

rebel  army  under  Lee.  From  early  spring  these  two  armies 
had  been  face  to  face  ;  from  Yorktown  to  within  the  sight  of  the 
spires  of  Richmond,  they  had  fought  almost  daily  for  months. 
The  advance  on  Richmond,  however,  was  not  successful.  The 
retreat  to  Harrison's  Landing,  of  General  McClellan's  army, 
gave  the  rebels  an  opportunity  to  attack  Pope,  and  defeat  him. 
Then  we  had  the  second  Bull  Run  battle.  Lee  then  advanced 
with  his  entire  command,  crossed  the  Potomac,  and  entered 
Maryland.  McClellan's  army  was  brought  up  from  the  Penin 
sula,  and  advanced  to  meet  him.  On  the  fourteenth  day  of  Sep 
tember,  Hooker's  corps  took  Maryland  Heights  by  storm ; 
General  Reno  and  General  Mansfield  killed,  Hooker  wounded. 
On  the  17th,  the  battle  of  Antietam  was  fought.  Lee  retreated, 
with  what  remained  of  his  army,  across  the  Potomac.  He  was 
not  pursued,  as  many  thought  he  should  have  been.  General 
McClellan  was  deposed  from  the  command  of  the  army.  The 
pursuit  of  Lee  commenced ;  but  it  was  too  late.  This  great 
year  of  war  was  practically  finished.  The  army  went  into 
winter  quarters,  taking  position  in  Virginia  to  shield  the  capital 
from  attack. 

Recruiting  for  the  army  continued  briskly  through  the  year  ; 
the  losses  in  battle,  the  disasters  on  the  Peninsula  and  under 
General  Pope,  stimulated  rather  than  depressed  enlistments. 
Successes,  had  crowned  our  arms  in  the  Southwest  and  in  North 
and  South  Carolina  ;  and  hope  grew  strong,  that,  in  the  end,  the 
Union  arms  would  be  victorious  everywhere.  The  wounded 
and  sick  who  came  home  spoke  in  cheering  words.  They 
claimed  that  the  Union  army  had  been  victorious  every  time  and 
everywhere.  This  buoyant  and  gallant  spirit,  expressed  by 
those  who  had  seen  the  most  and  suffered  the  most,  was  remark 
able.  We  cannot  call  to  mind  an  instance  where  these  wounded 
veterans  ever  spoke  despondingly ;  and  we  saw  many  of  them 
every  day.  Their  wives  and  mothers  felt  proud  of  them,  and 
the  men  felt  proud  of  themselves.  They  had  stories  to  tell 
which  they  had  learned  around  the  camp-fires,  and  incidents 
to  relate  which  happened  on  the  advance  and  on  the  retreat. 
They  had  learned  new  phrases,  and  coined  new  words,  about  the 
"Johnnies"  and  the  "Butternuts,"  terms  used  to  designate  the 

24 


370  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

rebel  soldiers.  Jests  and  banters  had  been  exchanged  across 
the  picket  lines.  Some  of  them  made  jokes  about  losing  their 
legs,  and  "how  funny  they  felt"  after  recovering  from  the 
effects  of  chloroform,  and  found  that  a  limb  had  been  taken  off; 
and  every  one  knew,  that,  "  with  fair  play,  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  could  whip  the  world."  Such  was  the  spirit  of  our 
wounded  men.  There  was  no  grumbling,  no  fault-finding  ;  nor 
was  there  any  appearance  of  personal  hatred  towards  the  sol 
diers  in  the  rebel  army.  General  McClellan  was  their  idol ; 
they  believed  in  him,  and  trusted  him,  and  wished  for  no  other 
commander.  The  unfavorable  criticisms  which  had  been  made 
upon  him  found  no  response  in  their  bosoms.  What  qualities 
of  mind  or  of  personal  address  there  were  in  General  McClellan 
to  inspire  love  and  confidence  in  the  breasts  of  his  soldiers  we 
know  not,  as  he,  of  all  the  great  army  commanders,  is  the 
only  one  whom  we  never  saw  ;  but  that  he  possessed  this  power, 
which  is  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  necessary  in  a  great  offi 
cer,  we  have  no  doubt.  The  evidence  of  it  was  presented  to  us 
every  day.  Next  to  McClellan,  in  the  popular  affection  of  the 
soldiers,  was  General  Hooker.  They  loved  to  call  him  "Fight 
ing  Joe ;  "  and  men  who  served  in  his  corps  felt  themselves  as 
especially  honored,  and  many,  we  doubt  not,  would  freely  have 
sacrificed  their  lives  for  him  personally.  It  was  curious  and 
interesting  to  hear  these  men  converse  about  their  officers, 
many  of  whom  they  freely  criticised  in  a  manner  not  at  all  com 
plimentary  ;  but  those  whom  they  believed  in,  whom  they  knew 
to  be  brave,  and  who  took  good  care  of  their  men,  they  spoke 
of  in  words  of  warm  affection. 

The  men  who  served  in  North  Carolina  under  Burnside  and 
Foster  were  equally  warm  in  their  attachment  to  these  officers. 
They  had  led  them  to  victory  ;  and,  whatever  was  said  in  their 
praise,  they  felt  they  were  entitled  to  a  share  of  it.  They  called 
General  Burnside  "  Old  Burnsie  ;  "  and  many  were  the  stories  of 
his  kindness  when  he  visited  them  in  their  hospitals,  or  received 
returned  prisoners  in  a  flag-of-truce  boat,  and  shook  them  by  the 
hands,  and  inquired  after  their  health,  and  saw  that  they  had 
good  quarters,  and  were  properly  cared  for.  Many  anecdotes 
are  told  by  the  winter  firesides  about  these  officers  by  the  sol- 


REPUBLICAN    STATE    CONVENTION.  371 

diers  who  fought  under  them  ;  forgetting  for  the  moment  their 
trials  and  sufferings,  to  say  kind  words  of  the  officers  who  had 
led  them  into  so  many  fatal  fields.  These  are  among  the  com 
pensations  which  true  merit  receives,  and  are  the  highest  honors 
and  rewards  which  true  valor  and  high  soldierly  qualities  com 
mand. 

We  now  return  to  the  political  aspect  of  the  Commonwealth. 

The  Eepublican  State  Convention  met  in  Worcester  on  the 
10th  of  September.  The  call  issued  by  the  State  Central  Com 
mittee  for  the  election  of  delegates  invited  the  attendance  and 
co-operation  of  all  "  who  will  support  the  present  national  and 
State  Governments,  and  in  favor  of  all  means  necessary  for  the 
effectual  suppression  of  the  Rebellion."  It  does  not  appear, 
however,  that  any  but  members  of  the  Republican  party  took 
part  in  the  Convention. 

Hon.  A.  H.  Bullock,  of  Worcester,  was  chosen  president ; 
and,  on  taking  the  chair,  he  made  a  brief  patriotic  address,  in 
which  he  said,  that  since,  upon  the  absorbing  question  of  prose 
cuting  the  war,  we  all  are  substantially  agreed,  he  "could  not 
see  why  there  should  be  any  occasion,  for  partisan  spirit  within 
the  assembly,  or  cause  for  disapproval  without."  He  said  he 
had  learned  many  things  during  the  past  year ;  one  of  which 
was,  "  that  African  slavery  on  this  continent  is  so  intimately 
connected  with  the  war,  that  the  two  things  can  no  longer  be 
considered  apart.  It  had  been  a  source  of  strength  to  the  Re 
bellion  ; "  and  asked,  "If  this  be  so,  why  is  it  not  the  duty  of  the 
Administration  to  deal  with  the  subject  precisely  as  all  the  poli 
cies  of  war  suggest,  and  all  the  necessities  of  our  case  demand." 
Further  on,  he  said,  "At  all  events,  let  Massachusetts,  while 
abiding  in  her  holy  and  traditional  faith,  hold  herself  in  har 
mony  with  her  sister  States  in  constancy  and  in  sacrifice  to  the 
last."  Colonel  Bullock  closed  his  address  by  an  eloquent 
quotation  from  Mr.  Webster  to  avoid  disunion,  and  abide  by  the 
Constitution. 

J.  Q.  A.  Griffin,  of  Charlestown,  moved  that  a  committee 
be  appointed  "  to  draft  the  customary  resolutions."  This  motion 
was  opposed  by  R.  H.  Dana,  Jr.,  of  Cambridge,  who  said  this 
was  not  a  day  for  long  resolutions.  If  any  were  necessary,  he 


372  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

hoped  they  would  be  short,  declaring  a  hearty  support  of  the 
State  and  national  Governments  for  the  suppression  of  the  Re 
bellion  ;  and  concluded  by  offering  the  following,  which  some 
one  had  handed  him  :  — 

"  Resolved,  That  Massachusetts,  with  all  her  heart  and  soul  and 
mind  and  strength,  will  support  the  President  of  the  United  States  in 
the  prosecution  of  this  war  to  the  entire  and  final  suppression  of  this 
Rebellion." 

Mr.  Griffin  replied  ;  and,  although  he  should  vote  for  the  reso 
lution  just  read,  yet  he  wished  the  position  of  Massachusetts  to 
be  more  broadly  expressed.  He  concluded  with  offering  a  reso 
lution,  the  substance  of  which  was,  thanking  Senators  Sum- 
ner  and  Wilson  for  the  faithful  manner  in  which  they  had 
discharged  their  duties,  and  recommending  Mr.  Surnner  for  re 
election  to  the  Senate. 

Mr.  Davis,  of  Plymouth,  said  that  this  was  a  war  of  ideas, 
of  barbarism  against  civilization,  involving  the  principles  of  civil 
liberty  on  one  hand,  and  the  principles  of  damnation  on  the 
other.  He  wanted  an  expression  of  opinion  on  the  general 
policy  of  the  war.  "  We  haven't,"  he  said,  "  a  press  in  Boston 
to  speak  for  us.  There  are  some  country  papers  which  speak 
for  us,  but  they  are  kept  down  by  the  subscription-lists  of  Bos 
ton."  He  favored  the  appointment  of  a  Committee  on  Resolu 
tions,  wrhich,  after  some  further  discussion,  was  carried  ;  and  the 
resolutions  offered  by  Mr.  Dana  and  Mr.  Griffin  were  referred 
to  the  committee. 

A  letter  from  Mr.  Sumner  was  read,  regretting  his  inability 
to  accept  an  invitation  to  be  present  at  the  convention.  He 
said  he  should  show  plainly  ''how  to  hamstring  this  Rebellion, 
and  to  conquer  a  peace.  To  this  single  practical  purpose  all 
theories,  prepossessions,  and  aims  should  yield.  So  absorbing 
at  this  moment  is  this  question,  that  nothing  is  practical  which 
does  not  directly  tend  to  its  final  settlement."  We  infer  that 
Mr.  Sumner's  mode  of  hamstringing  the  Rebellion  was  to  declare 
freedom  to  the  slaves,  and  to  put  arms  in  the  hands  of  colored 
soldiers.  "All  else  is  blood-stained  vanity."  He  referred  to 
the  action  of  General  Butler  in  Louisiana,  in  organizing  a  negro 


DEMOCRATIC    STATE    CONVENTION.  373 

regiment,  and  to  General  Banks,  "  when,  overtaking  the  little 
slave  girl  on  her  way  to  freedom,  he  lifted  her  upon  the  na 
tional  cannon.  In  this  act,  the  brightest,  most  touching,  and 
most  suggestive  of  the  whole  war,  which  art  will  hereafter 
rejoice  to  commemorate,  our  Massachusetts  General  gave  a 
lesson  to  the  country." 

The  Committee  on  Resolutions  reported  five  in  number : 
First,  That  Massachusetts  would  support  the  Government  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  war.  Second,  That,  as  slavery  was  a  princi 
pal  support  of  the  rebellion,  slavery  should  be  exterminated. 
Third  was  complimentary  to  the  valor  of  our  soldiers,  and  ex 
pressed  sympathy  for  those  who  had  fallen.  The  fourth  was 
the  same  which  had  been  introduced  by  Mr.  Griffin,  complimen 
tary  to  our  Senators  in  Congress,  and  favoring  the  re-election 
of  Mr.  Sumner  to  the  Senate  by  the  Legislature  to  be  elected 
in  November.  The  fifth  indorsed  in  strong  terms  the  State 
Administration . 

These  resolutions  were  adopted,  although  considerable  oppo 
sition  was  made  to  the  one  recommending  Senator  Sumner's 
re-election. 

The  convention  nominated  Governor  Andrew  and  the  old 
State  officers  for  re-election  by  acclamation,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Lieutenant-Governor.  Hon.  John  Nesmith  had  de 
clined  to  be  again  a  candidate  ;  and  Joel  Hayden,  of  Williams- 
burg,  was  nominated  Lieutenant-Governor  in  his  stead,  on  the 
first  ballot.  This  completed  the  ticket,  which  was  as  follows  : 
For  Governor,  John  A.  Andrew,  of  Boston ;  Lieutenant- 
Governor,  Joel  Hayden,  of  Williamsburg ;  Secretary  of  State, 
Oliver  Warner,  of  Northampton  ;  Treasurer,  Henry  K.  Oliver, 
of  Salem ;  Auditor,  Levi  Reed,  of  Abington  ;  Attorney-Gen 
eral,  D wight  Foster,  of  Worcester. 

The  Democratic  party  proper  did  not  hold  a  convention  to 
nominate  candidates  for  State  officers  this  year ;  but  a  conven 
tion  was  held  in  Faneuil  Hall  on  the  7th  of  October,  composed 
of  Democrats  and  conservative  Republicans,  at  which  Brigadier- 
General  Charles  Devens,  Jr.,  was  nominated  for  Governor; 
Thomas  F.  Plunket,  of  Adams,  for  Lieutenant-Governor ;  and 
Henry  W.  Paine,  of  Cambridge,  for  Attorney-General.  The 


374  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

other  State  officers  nominated  by  the  Republicans  were  adopted 
by  the  "  People's  Convention." 

The  call  for  this  convention  was  very  numerously  signed  by 
gentlemen  living  in  different  parts  of  the  Commonwealth. 

The  resolutions  which  were  adopted  favored  a  vigorous  prose 
cution  of  the  war.  Perhaps  the  last  one  of  the  series  explains 
the  motives  which  induced  the  call  better  than  any  remarks  of 
our  own  :  — 

"  Resolved,  That  Massachusetts  responds  with  full  heart  to  the  ac 
claim  with  which  the  Army  of  Virginia  greeted  the  appointment  to  its 
command  of  Major- General  George  B.  McClellan.  We  put  trust  in 
him  whom  brave  men  desire,  to  do  battle  for  our  cause.  Let  all  irregu 
lar  and  irresponsible  intermeddling  with  his  command  of  the  army, 
whether  in  high  places  or  low,  by  letter-writers  in  camp  or  Governors 
in  convention,  anywhere  and  everywhere,  henceforth  cease." 

The  president  of  the  convention  was  Hon.  Linus  Child,  who 
described  the  action  of  the  Republican  Convention  as  "  of  a  char 
acter  to  disturb  that  union,  and  that  unity  of  action  and  of 
government,  which  alone  can  render  our  efforts  successful  in  the 
great  work  we  have  in  hand." 

Judge  Abbott  spoke  in  favor  of  every  patriot  coming  forward 
to  sustain  the  Government,  "  and  consult  for  the  best  interests 
of  a  tottering  nation.  We  must  have  the  abandonment  of  all 
parties.  The  only  question  now  is,  Shall  the  glorious  old  flag 
wave  over  the  whole  land,  or  only  a  part  of  it?  "  In  conclusion, 
he  said,  "Let  us  pledge  ourselves  anew  to  defend  the  Constitu 
tion,  and,  in  the  presence  of  the  great  Webster,  swear  that  we 
will  give  life,  honor,  and  every  thing  else,  in  support  of  it,  till 
it  shall  float  in  undimmed  splendor  over  the  whole  country  in 
peace  and  in  honor." 

Judge  Parker,  of  Cambridge,  was  the  next  speaker;  and,  in 
the  course  of  his  remarks,  he  took  up  the  address  drawn  up  and 
signed  by  the  Governors  of  the  loyal  States,  as  agreed  upon  at 
Altoona,  Pa. ,  a  few  days  preceding.  He  considered  it  a  treasona 
ble  plotting  of  the  Governors,  and  added,  that,  if  they  sought 
the  removal  of  General  McClellan,  they  met  too  late  to  dare  to 
do  this,  as  he  was  the  commander  of  a  victorious  army,  and  it 
was  too  dangerous. 


375 

At  this  point,  Mr.  Saltonstall,  of  Newton,  stepped  on  the 
platform,  and  said,  he  held  a  letter  in  his  hand  from  a  friend  in 
Baltimore,  which  stated  that  a  formal  proposition  was  made  at 
Altoona  to  remove  General  McClellan  from  the  command  of  the 
Army  of  Virginia.  On  being  asked  which  of  the  Governors  it 
was  who  had  made  the  proposition,  Mr.  Saltonstall  said  that  the 
letter  was  of  a  private  nature,  and  he  was  not  permitted  to 
give  all  its  contents ;  "  but  the  convention  could  well  imagine 
who  made  the  proposition."  The  meeting  understood  him  to 
mean  Governor  Andrew. 

Two  days  after  the  convention  was  held,  Mr.  Saltonstall  ad 
dressed  a  letter  to  the  editor  of  the  Boston  Journal  to  correct 
an  error  he  had  made ;  by  which  it  appeared  that  Mr.  Salton- 
stall's  statement  had,  for  its  basis,  the  following  paragraph, 
which  was  in  a  letter  addressed  to  him  by  a  friend  in  Balti 
more  :  — 

"I  learn  from  Governor  B.  [meaning  Governor  Bradford,  of  Mary 
land],  that  there  was  a  formal  proposition  made  to  remove  the  Com 
manding  General.  He  does  not  feel  at  liberty  to  say  more." 

Mr.  Saltonstall's  explanation  was,  that  he  had  mistaken  the 
word  no  for  the  letter  a;  and,  instead  of  saying  a  formal 
proposition  had  been  made,  &c.,  the  letter  really  said  that  no 
formal  proposition  had  been  made.  No  gentleman  supposed 
Mr.  Saltonstall  was  intentionally  guilty  of  misrepresentation. 
The  explanation,  therefore,  was  satisfactory  to  the  public,  though 
the  mistake,  necessarily,  was  very  annoying  to  the  gentleman 
who  made  it. 

When  Governor  Bradford  was  informed  of  Mr.  Saltonstall's 
statement,  he  immediately  telegraphed  to  Governor  Andrew, 
disavowing  having  made  it,  to  which  Governor  Andrew  replied 
that— 

"  No  explanation  was  needed  between  us  on  the  matter  in  question  ; 
for  of  course  I  knew  that  any  declaration  that  such  a  statement  had 
been  made  by  or  from  you  must  be  mistaken.  .  .  .  The  truth  is,  that  I 
made  no  proposition,  formal,  informal,  direct,  indirect,  near,  or  re 
mote,  for  the  appointment,  promotion,  or  displacement,  or  for  any  other 
dealing,  with  any  officer,  high  or  low,  in  our  military  service." 


376  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  Faneuil-Hall  Convention  was  a  highly  respectable  body 
of  men,  and  the  nominations  were  very  proper  to  be  made. 
General  Devens,  who  was  put  forward  for  Governor,  had  ren 
dered  efficient  service  by  his  bravery  and  capacity  in  the  field,  and 
was  well  and  favorably  known  throughout  the  Commonwealth ; 
but  nothing  could  shake  the  confidence  of  the  people  in  Gov 
ernor  Andrew,  or  cause  a  change  in  the  State  Administration. 
Governor  Andrew  was  triumphantly  re-elected  ;  the  vote  for 
Governor  being,  —  Andrew,  79,835;  Devens,  52,587;  all 
others,  1,733. 

On  the  thirtieth  day  of  September,  the  Governor  received  a 
letter  from  Major  John  A.  Bolles,  a  gentleman  formerly  well 
known  in  Boston,  but  who  at  this  time  was  serving  on  the  staff 
of  Major-General  Dix  at  Fortress  Monroe.  Major  Bolles's  letter 
was  accompanied  by  one  from  General  Dix  ;  also,  one  addressed 
to  him  from  the  Secretary  of  War.  In  these  communications, 
it  was  proposed  that  the  Governor  should  take  some  active 
measures  for  the  reception  in  Massachusetts  of  a  portion  of  the 
escaped  slaves  then  within  our  lines  near  Fortress  Monroe. 
This  plan  was  represented  as  very  desirable,  for  reasons  both 
military  and  humane.  It  was  also  urged  that  the  fortress 
might  be  attacked  by  the  rebels,  and  these  people  swept  back 
into  slavery.  To  this  invitation  the  Governor  replied,  that, 
though  he  sympathized  deeply  with  the  humane  motives  upon 
which  General  Dix  was  seeking  to  act,  he  did  not  assent,  in  any 
way  or  in  any  degree,  to  the  plan  proposed  ;  but  that  these 
motives  of  humanity  led  him  in  a  different  direction,  which 
sound  reasoning  made  manifest.  He  said  that  the  true  interest 
of  the  African  and  Saxon  were  interwoven,  and  their  rights 
identical ;  so  that  the  maintenance  of  the  one  became  the  salva 
tion  of  the  other.  If  it  were  true,  as  stated,  that  "rebel  hordes 
were  coiling  their  traitorous  length  for  a  deadly  spring  upon 
Fortress  Monroe,  and  that  rebel  iron-clads  were  coming  down 
the  river,"  and  that  "  the  Union  force  who  opposed  the  threat 
ened  assault  was  inferior  to  the  force  that  menaced  them,"  then, 
by  listening  to  the  proposals  made,  he  should  deprive  "  the  band 
of  heroes  now  under  command  of  General  Dix,  and  steadily 
awaiting  the  storm,"  of  the  strength  of  hundreds  of  stout  arms 


COLORED    FREEDMEN.  377 

which  would  be  nerved  with  the  desperation  of  men  fighting  for 
liberty,  and  would  deprive  this  slandered  race  of  the  praise  to 
be  acquired  in  a  bold  struggle  for  their  dearest  rights.  Here 
Providence  had  given  to  them  a  chance  to  complete  their  emanci 
pation  from  slavery  ;  and,  if  he  should  do  any  thing  to  deny  them 
that  chance,  he  would  be  injuring  the  cause  of  the  Union  arms. 
He  would  not,  therefore,  do  any  thing  to  take  away  from  General 
Dix  this  great  reserved  force,  as  he  had  no  doubt  it  would 
prove,  if  the  General  would  but  use  it.  If  the  fortress  was 
attacked,  the  blacks  wrould  fight  to  preserve  their  freedom,  and 
they  are  needed.  If  any  thing  could  strengthen  his  previous 
opinions  on  this  point,  it  would  be  just  such  facts  as  were  nar 
rated  in  the  letters  he  had  received.  If  the  negroes  had 
wives  and  children  to  fight  for,  in  addition  to  their  freedom, 
they  would  not  show  themselves  insensible  to  the  motives 
which  have  inspired  all  other  races.  He  would  welcome  every 
blow  of  theirs  which  might  at  once  carry  succor  to  a  patriot, 
death  to  a  traitor,  renewed  life  to  their  own  veins,  and  victory  to 
our  flag.  Contemplating,  however,  the  probability  of  their 
removal,  the  Northern  States  were  of  all  places  the  worst  possi 
ble  to  select  for  an  asylum.  These  poor  people  were  inhabi 
tants  of  a  Southern  climate,  and  were  subject  to  needs  and  to 
peculiarities  of  physical  constitution  accordingly.  Where,  then, 
was  the  prudence  or  humanity  of  subjecting  them  to  the  rigors 
of  a  Northern  sky  in  the  winter  season,. with  the  moral  cer 
tainty  of  inflicting  extreme  suffering,  resulting  probably  in  dis 
ease  and  death.  If  their  removal  were  definitely  determined 
upon,  he  would  suggest  for  the  asylum  some  Union  foothold  in 
the  South,  as  Hilton  Head,  where  they  could  retain  their 
health,  be  trained  as  soldiers,  and  their  labor  made  available. 
For  them  to  come  North  would  be  for  them  to  come  as  paupers 
and  sufferers  to  a  strange  land,  as  a  swarm  of  houseless  wan 
derers  migrating  without  a  purpose  to  a  busy  community, 
where  they  would  be  incapable  of  self-help  ;  a  course  certain  to 
demoralize  themselves  and  endanger  others.  Such  a  course 
would  be  a  handle  to  all  traitors,  and  to  all  persons  evilly  dis 
posed  :  we  should  be  told  that  the  experiment  had  been  tried, 
and  failed  ;  that  the  negroes  had  proved  worthless,  and  incapable 


378  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

of  taking  care  of  themselves,  —  when  the  truth  would  be  that 
we  had  pursued  the  plan  most  calculated  to  disable  and  corrupt 
them.  He  met  with  pleasure  the  motive  of  humanity  which 
had  dictated  the  proposed  plan  ;  but,  from  the  very  same  feelings, 
he  considered  the  plan  a  mistaken  one.  It  was  because  he  did 
not  wish  the  negroes  to  suffer,  because  he  wished  to  save  their 
wives  and  children  from  perishing,  and  to  prevent  their  new 
freedom  from  becoming  license,  corruption,  and  infamy,  that  he 
declined  to  aid  or  countenance  this  plan  for  their  transportation 
to  the  North.  The  Governor  presented  the  same  views  to  the 
Secretary  of  War,  who  acceded  to  them ;  and  the  plan  was 
abandoned. 

We  find  in  the  Governor's  files  a  large  number  of  letters  in 
regard  to  the  freedmen  ;  among  others,  a  long  and  interesting 
report  from  C.  B.  Wilder,  "  superintendent  of  contrabands"  at 
Fortress  Monroe,  showing  how  the  colored  laborers  at  that 
point  were  denied  their  hard-earned  wages  through  the  neglect 
and  dishonest  practices  of  officers  of  the  Government.  We 
also  find  the  draft  of  a  memorial  to  Congress,  written  by  the 
Governor  Dec.  10,  1862,  in  which  the  claims  of  the  freedmen 
to  the  protection  of  the  Government  are  very  strongly  set  forth, 
and  which  says,  that,  without  a  system  for  the  speedy  organiza 
tion  of  the  emancipated,  the  proclamation  of  the  President,  of 
Sept.  22,  1862,  would  prove  either  fruitless,  or  only  a  proclama 
tion  of  anarchy.  With  a  proper  system  wisely  administered, 
emancipation  would  be  "prosperity  to  the  South,  progress  to 
the  African  race,  and  peace  to  the  republic." 

The  great  number  of  men  which  Massachusetts  was  called 
upon  in  1862  to  furnish  for  the  military  service  of  the  country 
rendered  this  year  one  of  the  most  busy  and  anxious  of  the  war. 
To  this  we  may  add  the  fearful  losses  which  had  been  sustained 
in  the  battles  before  Richmond,  at  Antietam,  and  before  Wash 
ington  under  General  Pope,  which  multiplied  greatly  the  labors 
of  all  the  military  departments  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  espe 
cially  those  of  the  Surgeon-General.  The  towns  were  anxious  to 
fill  their  quotas  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  to  receive  back 
the  sick  and  wounded  from  the  regiments  in  the  field.  Every 
thing  was  done  which  human  agency  could  do  to  accomplish 


LETTER    OF   ADJUTANT-GENERAL.  379 

both  of  these  objects.  What  gave  an  impetus  to  recruiting  was 
the  fear  of  a  draft,  which  the  Government  was  determined  to 
enforce  unless  the  men  called  for  were  furnished  by  voluntary 
enlistments  within  a  reasonable  time.  A  new  enrolment  had 
been  made,  under  the  superintendence  of  Major  Rogers,  assist 
ant  Adjutant-General,  and  the  United-States  military  com 
mander.  Assistant  provost-marshals  had  been  appointed  in 
the  several  Congressional  districts  to  carry  out  the  machinery 
of  the  draft ;  but,  thanks  to  the  patriotism  of  the  people  and 
the  activity  of  the  city  and  town  authorities,  and  the  officers  of 
the  State,  the  contingent  was  raised  before  the  end  of  the  year 
by  volunteers.  Yet  all  that  was  done  by  the  State  authorities 
to  aid  recruiting,  and  organize  and  send  forward  regiments,  did 
not  shield  them  from  complaints  by  selectmen  and  others,  whose 
own  labors  in  the  work  of  recruiting  left  them  no  time  to 
reflect  upon  the  labors  of  others.  Many  letters  are  upon  the 
files  in  the  State  House,  filled  with  complaints  of  this  character. 
We  will  quote  the  answer  made  by  the  Adjutant-General  to  one 
of  these  complaints,  which  will  serve  to  illustrate  the  whole  : — 

"  Your  favor  has  been  received ;  and  I  wish  you  would  say  to  the 
selectmen  and  others  who  scold  the  Governor  and  me  for  not  sending 
a  mustering  officer  to  Pittsfield  whenever  they  feel  like  having  one, 
that  they  had  better  come  here,  and  try  half  as  hard  as  I  do  to  have 
officers  sent  there,  and  I  think  afterwards  they  would  grumble  no 
more  at  the  Governor  and  the  Adjutant-General.  Last  week  I  sent  a 
mustering  officer  to  Pittsfield,  through  the  kindness  of  Captain  Collins, 
United-States  chief  mustering  officer.  I  told  him  how  much  one  was 
needed  ;  and,  although  the  officer  sent  was  needed  at  '  Camp  Stan  ton,* 
I  arranged  that  he  should  go  to  Pittsfield  instead.  Well,  he  went 
there.  The  next  day,  he  telegraphed  Captain  Collins  that  there  was 
no  one  in  camp  ready  to  be  mustered  in,  and  requested  to  know  how 
long  he  must  stay  there.  This  telegram  Captain  Collins  sent  up  to 
me,  with  a  little  note  blaming  me  for  sending  his  officer  two  hun 
dred  miles  off  on  a  sort  of  tomfool's  errand.  I  advised  him,  however, 
to  hold  on  a  day  or  two,  and  finish  up  Berkshire  if  possible  ;  that  I 
had  no  doubt  you  would  have  the  recruits  ready  for  him  by  that  time. 
So  I  supposed  the  thing  was  finished,  and  that  I  should  have  the 
thanks  of  the  selectmen,  instead  of  '  their  sweet  little  curses.'  Now, 
then,  I  wish  you  would  say  to  the  town  authorities  who  '  swear  at  us,' 


380  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

that  we  have  nine  camps  of  rendezvous  in  the  State,  in  two  of  which 
there  are  three  regiments  each  ;  in  three,  two  regiments  each  ;  and,  in 
the  others,  one  each.  There  are  but  two  mustering  officers  in  the 
State  ;  so  you  will  see  that  it  is  not  such  an  easy  thing  to  get  a  mus- 
terino-  officer  to  go  to  Pittsfield  every  day.  We  have  no  command 
over  these  officers,  and  cannot  say  to  them,  Go,  and  he  goeth,  or  Come, 
and  he  cometh  ;  but,  like  the  voters  for  the  People's  party,  we  Ijave  to 
get  them  when  and  how  we  can.  I  have  just  heard  that  Captain 
Arnold  is  at  Pittsfield,  and  will  muster  in  the  two  remaining  companies 
of  the  Berkshire  regiment ;  so  you  see  you  have  been  treated  as  you 
ought  to  be,  with  marked  liberality  in  regard  to  mustering  officers.  I 
hope  I  have  satisfied  you.  With  any  shortcomings,  no  blame  can 
properly  attach  to  the  State  authorities." 

At  length  the  quota  of  the  State  was  filled.  Upwards  of 
thirty-three  thousand  men  had  been  recruited  in  less  than  five 
months,  regiments  formed,  thoroughly  organized  and  equipped, 
and  sent  to  the  war.  We  have  already  given  the  names  of  the 
three  months'  regiments  and  batteries,  dates  of  their  departure 
from  the  State,  and  the  names  of  the  commanding  officers.  We 
now  proceed  with  the  nine  months'  regiments. 

The  Third  Regiment  served  in  the  three  months'  term  in  the 
beginning  of  the  war.  It  was  recruited  to  the  full  standard  for 
the  nine  months'  service  at  "  Camp  Joe  Hooker,"  at  Lakeville. 
On  the  twenty-second  day  of  October,  the  regiment  embarked 
at  Boston,  in  steamers  "  Merrimack  "  and  "Mississippi,"  under 
command  of  Colonel  Silas  P.  Richmond,  and  arrived  at  Beau 
fort,  N.C.,  Oct.  26,  and  reached  Newbern  the  same  evening. 

The  Fourth  Regiment,  which  had  also  served  in  the  three 
months'  campaign  in  1861,  was  recruited  to  the  full  standard  at 
"  Camp  Joe  Hooker  "  for  the  nine  months'  service.  On  the 
seventeenth  day  of  December,  it  was  ordered  to  join  General 
Banks's  command  at  New  Orleans.  It  left  the  State  on  that 
day  for  New  York,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Henry 
Walker.  From  New  York  it  went  by  transport  to  New 
Orleans. 

The  Fifth  Regiment,  which  had  also  served  in  the  three 
months'  campaign,  was  recruited  for  nine  months'  service  at 
"  Camp  Lander,"  at  Wenham.  It  sailed  from  Boston  in  trans- 


DEPARTURE  OF  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.       381 

ports,  under  command  of  Colonel  George  H.  Peirson,  for  New- 
bern,  N.C.,  with  orders  to  report  for  duty  to  Major-General 
Foster. 

The  Sixth  Regiment,  the  same  which  had  fought  its  way 
through  Baltimore,  April  19,  1861,  was  recruited  and  or 
ganized  for  the  nine  months'  service  at  "  Camp  Henry  Wilson," 
at  Lowell.  It  was  the  determination  of  the  Governor  to  have  the 
Sixth  Regiment  the  first  to  leave  the  State  for  the  nine  months' 
service.  It  received  orders  to  report  at  Washington,  and  left 
Massachusetts  under  command  of  Colonel  Albert  S.  Follansbee 
about  Sept.  1.  It  remained  in  Washington  until  the  13th, 
when  it  was  ordered  to  Suffolk,  Ya. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  served  with  distinction  in  the  three 

O  o 

months'  service.  It  opened  the  route  by  Annapolis  to  Wash- 
inoton.  It  was  recruited  to  the  maximum  for  the  nine  months' 

O 

service  at  "  Camp  Lander,"  at  Wenham.  It  sailed  from  Boston 
on  the  seventh  day  of  November,  under  the  command  of  Colo 
nel  Frederick  J.  Coffin,  for  Newbern,  N.C.,  with  orders  to 
report  for  duty  to  Major-General  Foster. 

The  Forty-second  Regiment  was  .recruited  for  nine  months' 
service  at  "  Camp  Meigs,"  at  Readville.  The  nucleus  of  this 
regiment  was  the  Second  Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Militia.  It  was  assigned  to  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  and 
left  Massachusetts  Nov.  19,  with  orders  to  report  to  General 
Banks  in  New  York.  It  remained  in  camp  at  Long  Island 
until  about  the  first  day  of  December,  when  it  sailed  from  New 
York  for  New  Orleans  under  command  of  Colonel  Isaac  S. 
Burrill. 

The  Forty-third  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Meigs," 
at  Readville.  It  was  recruited  chiefly  through  the  Second 
Battalion,  Massachusetts  Volunteer  Militia,  with  which  organ 
ization  a  portion  of  the  officers  had  been  connected.  On 
the  twenty-fourth  day  of  October,  it  went  on  board  transports, 
together  with  the  Forty-fifth  and  Forty-sixth  Regiments,  with 
orders  to  report  to  Major-General  Foster  at  Newbern,  N.C. 
The  regiment  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Charles  L.  Holbrook. 
While  these  three  regiments  were  on  the  transports  in  Boston 
Harbor,  a  very  severe  easterly  storm  came  on,  which  detained 


382  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

them    several    days,    and    caused    much    suffering    among    the 
troops. 

The  Forty-fourth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Meigs," 
at  Readville.  The  Fourth  Battalion,  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Militia,  under  Major  Francis  L.  Lee,  was  the  nucleus  of  this 
regiment.  Nearly  the  whole  battalion  volunteered,  officers  and 
men.  It  left  Boston,  Oct.  22,  by  transport,  under  command 
of  Colonel  Francis  L.  Lee,  with  orders  to  report  to  Major- 
General  Foster  at  Newbern,  N.C. 

The  Forty-fifth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Meigs," 
at  Readville.  The  Forty-fifth  was  known  as  the  "  Cadet  Regi 
ment,"  from  the  fact  that  most  of  its  officers  were  or  had  been 
officers  of  the  First  Corps  of  Cadets.  The  regiment  went  on 
board  transport  on  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  October,  under  com 
mand  of  Colonel  Charles  R.  Codman,  with  orders  to  proceed  to 
Newbern,  N.C.  This  is  one  of  the  regiments  that  were  de 
tained  in  Boston  Harbor  by  the  storm. 

The  Forty-sixth  Regiment  was  recruited  chiefly  in  Hampden 
County,  at  "  Camp  N.  P.  Banks,"  in  the  vicinity  of  Springfield. 
It  sailed  from  Boston,  under  command  of  Colonel  George 
Bowler,  for  Newbern,  N.C.  This  was  one  of  the  three  regi 
ments  detained  in  Boston  Harbor  by  the  storm  before  referred 
to. 

The  Forty-seventh  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Edwin 
M.  Stanton,"  at  Boxford,  where  it  remained  to  within  a  few 
weeks  of  its  departure  from  the  State,  when  it  was  ordered  to 
"  Camp  Meigs,"  Readville.  This  regiment  was  recruited  in  a 
great  degree  by  Lucius  B.  Marsh,  Esq.,  who  afterwards  became 
its  colonel.  It  broke  camp  on  the  twenty-ninth  day  of  No 
vember,  and  proceeded  to  New  York,  under  command  of  Colonel 
Marsh,  with  orders  to  report  to  Major-General  Banks.  It 
remained  on  Long  Island  for  two  or  three  weeks,  awaiting  trans 
portation  to  New  Orleans,  where  it  arrived  in  safety  in  the 
latter  part  of  December. 

The  Forty-eighth  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Lander," 
at  Wenham,  by  Hon.  Eben  F.  Stone,  of  Newburyport.  Before 
its  organization  was  completed,  it  was  ordered  to  "Camp 
Meigs,"  at  Readville.  Mr.  Stone  was  elected  colonel.  The 


NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  383 

latter  part  of  December,  it  received  orders  to  report  to 
Brigadier-General  Andrews  at  New  York,  who  had  been  left 
in  command  by  General  Banks,  to  take  charge  of  the  transpor 
tation  for  the  remaining  Massachusetts  regiments  destined  for 
the  Department  of  the  Gulf. 

The  Forty-ninth  Regiment  was  raised  in  Berkshire  County, 
and  organized  at  "  Camp  Briggs,"  at  Pittsfield.  Captain 
William  F.  Bartlett,  a  young  and  gallant  officer,  who  had 
lost  a  leg  at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks,  Ya.,  was  elected  colonel. 
It  received  marching  orders  on  the  twenty- first  day  of  Novem 
ber,  to  report  to  Brigadier-General  Andrews  at  New  York. 
It  remained  in  camp  at  Long  Island  several  days,  awaiting 
transportation  to  New  Orleans. 

The  Fiftieth  Regiment  was  recruited  and  organized  at  "  Camp 
Edwin  M.  Stanton,"  at  Boxford.  The  nucleus  of  the  Fiftieth 
was  the  old  Seventh  Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Militia.  It  left  Massachusetts  on  the  nineteenth  day  of  No 
vember,  with  orders  to  report  to  Major- General  Banks,  at  New 
York.  The  transports  furnished  for  this  regiment  were  three 
small  vessels,  two  of  which  were  nearly  foundered  at  sea.  One 
put  in  at  Philadelphia,  and  another  at  Hilton  Head.  Both  were 
pronounced  unseaworthy,  and  new  transports  wrere  obtained. 
No  lives  were  lost,  and  the  regiment  eventually  safely  arrived 
at  New  Orleans.  This  regiment  was  commanded  by  Colonel 
Carlos  P.  Messer,  who  had  commanded  a  company  in  the  Fifth 
Regiment,  in  the  three  months'  service. 

The  Fifty-first  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  John  E. 
Wool,"  in  the  city  of  Worcester.  On  the  eleventh  day  of 
November,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Newbern,  N.C.  A  few 
days  afterwards,  it  came  to  Boston,  and  entered  on  board  trans 
port,  and  proceeded  at  once  to  its  destination.  Augustus  B. 
R.  Sprague,  who  had  served  as  captain  in  the  Rifle  Battalion,  in 
the  three  months'  service,  was  colonel  of  this  regiment. 

The  Fifty-second  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Miller," 
at  Greenfield.  Henry  S.  Greenleaf,  was  commissioned  colonel. 
It  left  Massachusetts  on  the  nineteenth  day  of  November, 
for  New  York,  where  it  embarked  for  New  Orleans,  with 
orders  to  report  to  Major-General  Banks,  commanding  the 
Department  of  the  Gulf. 


384  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  Fifty-third  Regiment  was  recruited  at  "  Camp  Stevens," 
at  Groton.  It  left  Massachusetts  on  the  eighteenth  day  of 
November,  for  New  York,  under  command  of  Lieutenant-Colo 
nel  Barrett,  with  orders  to  report  to  Major-General  Banks  at 
New  Orleans.  John  "W.  Kimball,  who  had  served  with  dis 
tinction  as  major  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment,  three  years'  service, 
was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  Fifty-third.  Before  he  could 
get  home  from  the  front,  and  take  command,  the  regiment  had 
left  the  State.  He  joined  it,  however,  at  New  York,  and  went 
with  it  to  Louisiana. 

The  Eleventh  Light  Battery,  to  serve  for  nine  months,  was 
recruited  by  Captain  Edward  J.  Jones,  at  "  Camp  Meigs,"  at 
Readville.  It  left  Massachusetts  on  the  third  day  of  October, 
under  command  of  Captain  Jones,  with  orders  to  report  for 
duty  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army  at  Washington. 
This  was  the  only  nine  months'  battery  raised  in  the  State. 

Thus,  in  December,  1862,  Massachusetts  had  in  active  ser 
vice  fifty-three  regiments  of  infantry,  one  regiment  and  three 
unattached  companies  of  cavalry,  twelve  companies  of  light 
artillery,  two  companies  of  sharpshooters,  and  three  companies 
of  heavy  artillery,  which  were  distributed  as  follows  :  Twenty- 
seven  regiments  of  infantry,  seven  companies  of  light  artillery, 
two  battalions  of  cavalry,  and  two  companies  of  sharpshooters, 
in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  in  Virginia  and  Maryland ; 
thirteen  regiments  of  infantry  in  North  Carolina ;  thirteen 
regiments  of  infantry,  five  companies  of  light  artillery,  and 
three  unattached  companies  of  cavalry,  in  the  Department  of 
the  Gulf;  one  battalion  of  cavalry  at  Hilton  Head,  S.C.  ; 
and  three  companies  of  heavy  artillery  doing  garrison  duty  in 
the  forts  in  Boston  Harbor.  The  number  of  three  years'  volun 
teers  who  had  entered  the  service  from  Massachusetts  from  the 
commencement  of  the  war  to  Dec.  31,  1862,  was  46,920; 
number  of  nine  months'  men,  19,080;  number  of  three  months' 
men,  3,736,  —  making  a  total  of  69,736  men.  During  the  year 
1862,  the  number  of  men  who  entered  the  navy  in  Massachu 
setts  was  5,960,  which,  added  to  the  number  who  shipped  from 
April  15  to  Dec.  31,  1861  (7,658),  makes  a  total  of  13JU8 
men  for  whom  Massachusetts  received  no  credit,  and  who  were  not 


THE    TEXAS    EXPEDITION.  385 

taken  into  consideration  in  fixing  the  contingent  which  Massa 
chusetts  was  to  furnish  for  the  military  arm  of  the  service ;  an 
injustice  which  bore  with  crushing  weight  upon  the  fishing  and 
maritime  towns  and  cities  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  which  was 
not  removed  until  1864,  when  Congress  passed  an  act  allowing 
credits  for  men  serving  in  the  navy. 

The  regiments  sent  from  Massachusetts  to  the  Department  of 
the  Gulf  were  intended  as  an  expeditionary  corps,  to  invade  and 
hold  Texas.  The  purpose  of  the  expedition  was  kept  a  pro 
found  secret ;  and  neither  the  officers  nor  the  enlisted  men  of 
the  regiments,  nor  the  public,  were  advised  of  it.  This  was  one 
of  the  well-kept  secrets  of  the  war ;  and,  although  the  expedi 
tion  failed  of  its  object,  the  fault,  if  one,  did  not  attach  to 
Massachusetts,  nor  to  the  splendid  array  of  troops  which  she  fur 
nished  for  it.  A  portion  of  the  Forty-second  Regiment  reached 
Galveston,  and  has  the  honor  of  being  the  first  detachment  of 
the  loyal  army  that  landed  in  that  far-off  State.  They  were 
attacked  by  overwhelming  numbers.  The  war  vessels  in  the 
harbor,  which  were  to  co-operate  with  them,  were  beaten  off  or 
captured  by  the  rebels  ;  and  the  detachment  of  the  Forty-second, 
after  fighting  gallantly,  was  obliged  to  surrender. 

Governor  Andrew  detailed  Major  William  L.  Burt,  of  his 
staff,  to  accompany  the  expedition.  He  was  to  look  out  for  the 
welfare  of  the  troops,  and  report  from  time  to  time  the  exact 
condition  of  affairs.  On  reaching  New  Orleans,  he  was  to  re 
port  to  General  Hamilton,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the 
President  military  Governor  of  Texas.  The  Governor,  in  his 
written  instructions  to  Major  Burt,  said,  — 

"  In  selecting  you  for  this  position,  I  have  in  mind  your  experience, 
tact,  and  energy  as  a  man  of  business  as  well  as  of  education.  It  be 
ing  my  desire,  since  so  many  Massachusetts  soldiers  are  bound  to  a 
very  remote  field  of  military  service,  that  some  staff  officer  of  ample 
capacity,  zeal,  and  position  should  represent  the  Commonwealth  in  her 
rightful  relation  of  a  careful  guardian  and  watchful  parent  towards 
these  brave  and  precious  sons,  I  have  been  accustomed  to  detail  gen 
tlemen  of  my  staff  for  occasional  duties  of  this  description  in  Virginia 
and  elsewhere,  not  too  far  from  home.  In  this  instance,  the  number 
of  our  troops,  and  their  remoteness  from  home,  justifies  a  more  perma- 

25 


386  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

He  was  also  charged  to  exercise  a  friendly  oversight  of  the 
men,  to  use  his  influence  to  accommodate  inconveniences,  alle 
viate  suffering,  and  prevent  grievances,  and,  by  his  advice  and 
interposition,  to  "  promote  the  efficiency,  fidelity,  patriotic  devo 
tion,  zeal,  happiness,  and  welfare  of  our  troops."  The  Governor 
furnished  Major  Burt  with  letters  of  introduction  to  General 
Hamilton,  whom  he  afterwards  met  in  New  Orleans,  and  formed 
his  acquaintance.  We  shall  in  the  next  chapter  refer  to  this 
expedition  again,  and  quote  from  the  interesting  reports  made 
by  Major  Burt  to  the  Governor. 

Massachusetts  having  sent  forward  her  regiments,  Governor 
Andrew  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  — 

"  To  say  one  word  about  brigadiers  "  (after  speaking  about  having 
sent  forward  ten  new  regiments  for  three  years'  service,  saying  nothing 
about  the  men  sent  forward  to  fill  up  the  old  regiments),  "  we  claim 
that  we  are  entitled  to  two  brigadier-generals  on  that  score ;  and,  for 
the  seventeen  regiments  of  nine  months'  men,  we  are  entitled  to  four 
more.  We  therefore  recommend,  first  of  all,  Colonel  James  Barnes,  of 
the  Eighteenth,"  whom  he  describes  as  a  "  long-headed,  able  man, 
of  thorough  military  education,  over  fifty  years  old,  served  all  last  fall, 
winter,  and  spring,  in  Martindale's  brigade,  now  an  acting  brigadier 
with  McClellan  ;  the  most  constant,  unremitting,  and  careful  of  men. 
He  deserved  the  first  promotion,  and  would  have  got  it,  probably,  but 
that  his  regiment  happened  not  to  be  in  battle,  for  which  he  was  not 
to  blame.  His  lieutentant-colonel  (Hayes)  is  able  to  lead  the  regi 
ment,  if  promoted  to  its  command,  with  the  highest  honor.  He  de 
serves  promotion." 

Colonel  Barnes  was  made  a  brigadier-general  Nov.  29, 
1862,  a  few  days  after  this  letter  was  written. 

"  Second,  William  Raymond  Lee,  of  the  Twentieth  Massachusetts 
Regiment,  now  acting  as  brigadier,  under  McClellan,  in  Sedgwick's 
division.  He  fought  at  Ball's  Bluff;  and,  in  the  first  and  last  battles 
before  Richmond,  was  the  bravest  and  most  chivalrous  gentleman  in  all 
our  commands,  or  in  any  army  ;  educated,  too,  at  the  Military  Academy, 
but,  like  Barnes,  for  many  years  in  civil  life.  Both  these  gentlemen, 
at  my  request,  took  regiments,  not  for  glory  or  money,  but  because 
they  felt,  that,  having  been  educated  by  the  country,  they  were  bound 
to  appear  at  the  first  call  of-  danger.  They  have  patriotic  hearts,  fully 
devoted  to  the  manliest  views  of  carrying  on  the  war.  Colonels  Lee 


BRIGADIER    GENERALS.  387 

and  Barnes  are  too  proud  and  too  modest  to  ask :  I  speak  wholly  self- 
moved." 

Colonel  Lee  resigned,  on  account  of  severe  illness,  Dec. 
17,  1862,  and  was  bre vetted  brigadier-general  for  brave  and 
meritorious  services  in  the  field. 

"Third,  Colonel  Edward  F.  Jones  commanded  the  "old  Sixth," 
of  Baltimore  memory ;  more  recently,  of  the  Twenty-sixth,  under 
Butler.  Returning  from  New  Orleans  very  ill,  recovered  of  ty 
phoid,  resigning  his  command,  finding  that  his  wife  was  also  very 
ill,  —  now,  after  her  death,  which  happened  a  week  or  so  ago,  he  is 
ready  for  a  brigade.  He  is  a  true,  good,  intelligent,  capable,  business 
like  officer.  He  is  a  sagacious,  determined  man.  I  wish  he  might  be 
appointed,  and  go  to  Banks  to  Texas." 

Colonel  Jones,  although  worthy  of  it,  never  received  the 
appointment  to  which  be  was  recommended. 

"  Fourth,  Colonel  Edward  W.  Hinks,  of  the  Nineteenth,  formerly 
of  the  *  old  Eighth,'  which  repaired  the  railroad  to  Annapolis  Junc 
tion  in  the  spring  of  1861,  saved  the  '  Constitution'  frigate  at  Annapo 
lis,  and  is  now  recovering  from  his  wounds  at  Antietam,  having  been 
wounded,  too,  before  Richmond.  He  is  a  young,  brave,  ardent,  very 
devoted,  natural  soldier.  He,  too,  ought  to  be  promoted." 

Colonel  Hinks  was  appointed  brigadier-general  Nov.  29, 
1862.  Pie  was  afterwards  brevetted  major-general,  and  is  now 
a  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  regular  army. 

"  Fifth,  Albert  C.  Maggi,  an  Italian,  about  forty  years  old,  now 
with  General  Sigel,  saw  fourteen  years'  service  abroad ;  was  a  major 
in  Italy  ;  fought  under  Garibaldi  in  South  America,  as  well  as  in  Italy  ; 
enlisted  in  the  spring  of  1861,  at  New  Bedford  (where  he  was  teaching 
the  classics,  modern  languages,  and  gymnastics),  in  our  Third  Regi 
ment  ;  went  to  Fortress  Monroe ;  was,  in  succession,  sergeant-major, 
adjutant  of  the  Third,  and  acting  brigade-major;  when,  after  the 
three  months  expired,  he,  as  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Twenty-first, 
led  it  in  the  battle  of  Roanoke  Island,  and,  resigning,  took  the  Thirty- 
third  Regiment. 

"  If  General  Sigel  should  require  any  additional  brigadier,  I  can 
not  imagine  a  better  one  for  foreign  troops,  or,  since  he  speaks  good 
English,  even  for  native  troops  ;  and  his  lieutenant-colonel,  Adin  B. 


388  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

Underwood,  is  perfectly  fit  to  command  his  regiment.  He  has  been  in 
service  as  captain  in  our  Second,  until  he  reached  this  lieutenant- 
colonelcy." 

Colonel  Maggi  was  not  promoted ;  and  he  resigned  the  colo 
nelcy  of  the  Thirty-third  Regiment  April  1,  1863,  and  was 
not  again  in  service. 

"  Sixth,  Colonel  Burr  Porter,  of  our  Fortieth.  He  is  a  splendid 
soldier.  I  appointed  him,  as  I  have  several  others,  —  though  not  from 
Massachusetts,  —  because  so  able.  He  is  recommended,  I  learn,  by 
Governor  Olden,  with  the  understanding  that  he  be  changed  to  New 
Jersey,  his  own  State.  I  wish  he  might  be  appointed,  and,  with  his 
regiment,  be  sent  to  Texas.  He  would  make  a  great  fighting  brigadier. 
He  is  magnetic,  like  Maggi.  He  was  educated  at  a  French  military 
academy ;  was  on  Omar  Pasha's  staff  in  the  Crimea,  and  served 
under  Fremont  in  Virginia." 

Colonel  Porter  was  not  appointed  brigadier,  and  resigned  as 
colonel  of  the  Fortieth,  July  21,  1863.  He  was  afterwards 
appointed  major  in  the  First  Battalion  Frontier  Cavalry,  Jan. 
1,  1865,  and  colonel  Third  Cavalry  March  21,  1865,  and  dis 
charged  at  expiration  of  service,  July  21,  1865. 

"  Seventh,  Colonel,  formerly  Lieutenant-Colonel,  George  L.  An 
drews,  of  the  Second  Regiment.  Educated  at  West  Point ;  modest, 
firm,  and  methodical ;  a  scholarly  soldier,  and  an  honest,  faithful  man. 
He  is  recommended  by  divers  Boston  gentlemen  for  a  brigade,  and  he 
would  be  an  excellent  chief-of-staff  for  a  major-general  commanding 
an  army  corps." 

Colonel  Andrews  was  appointed  brigadier  before  this  letter 
was  written  ;  the  date  of  his  commission  being  Nov.  9,  1862. 

"  Eighth,  Colonel  Timothy  Ingraham,  of  the  Thirty-eighth  Regi 
ment,  would  be  an  excellent  brigadier.  He  is  now  acting  as  such. 
He  is  a  most  constant,  trustworthy,  and  reliable  man,  conscientious, 
and  '  sure  fire.'  " 

Colonel  Ingraham  was  detailed  for  a  long  time  as  provost- 
marshal  at  Washington,  and  brevetted  brigadier-general  Oct.  2, 
1865. 

"  Ninth,  I  wish  Major-General  Hooker  might  be  appealed  to  for  his 
opinion  of  the  propriety  of  nominating  Colonel  George  D.  Wells, 


STAFF   APPOINTMENTS.  389 

of  the  Thirty-fourth,  until  lately  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  First,  for 
brigadier.  I  have  heard  General  Hooker  call  Wells  '  a  remarkable 
soldier.'  Nor  can  I  doubt  that  General  Hooker,  under  whom,  first  as 
brigadier,  and  afterwards  general  of  a  division,  the  First  Massachu 
setts  served  for  nearly  one  year ;  and  General  Grover,  who  succeeded 
to  the  command  of  Hooker's  brigade,  would  unite  in  emphasizing  my 
suggestion.  I  would  also  refer  to  Colonel  Blaisdell  of  our  Eleventh, 
Colonel  Wilde,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Carruth  of  our  Thirty-fifth, 
who  served  in  the  First  Brigade,  with  and  under  Colonel  Wells." 

Colonel  Wells  was  killed  in  action,  Oct.  13,  1864,  and  was 
bre vetted  brigadier-general  after  his  death.  He  was  one  of  the 
best  and  bravest  officers  that  went  from  Massachusetts  into  the 


"  Tenth,  We  have  five  three  years'  regiments  at  Newbern.  They 
went  out  with  Burnside ;  all  but  one  was  in  his  three  battles  there. 
Captain  T.  J.  C.  Amory,  United-States  Tenth  Infantry,  is  colonel  of 
our  Seventeenth  Volunteers.  He  has  acted  as  general  of  brigade,  and 
even  of  division,  while  there,  much  of  the  time.  If  any  one  is  pro 
moted  there,  I  suggest  Colonel  Amory.  He  is  an  accomplished  offi 
cer.  Now,  1  do  not  ask  the  creation  of  new  generals :  of  that  let  me 
not  presume  to  judge.  I  only  ask,  that,  if  any  are  made,  Massachusetts 
troops  may  be  put  under  such  men  as  I  have  named." 

Colonel  Amory  died  of  yellow  fever  at  Newbern,  N.C.,  Oct. 
7,  1864,  after  having  been  brevetted  brigadier-general. 
This  remarkable  letter  concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  beg  leave  to  add  that  all  these  views  are  my  own,  unsuggested 
save  by  the  accumulated  knowledge  of  careful  pains  taken  in  appoint 
ing,  and  keeping  up  my  acquaintance  with  our  officers,  and  impelled  by 
my  zeal  for  the  cause,  and  the  honor  of  my  State.  I  trust  my  fulness 
and  freedom  may  receive  your  pardon." 

The  changes  and  additions  to  the  Governor's  staff  in  the  year 
1862  were  as  follows  :  — 

John  Quincy  Adams,  of  Quincy,  was  appointed  aide-de-camp, 
with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  Jan.  4,  1862,  to  supply  the 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  appointment  of  Horace  Binney  Sar 
gent  as  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  First  Regiment  Massachusetts 
Cavalry.  Harrison  Ritchie  became  senior  aide,  with  rank  of 
colonel. 


390  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLION. 

Charles  F.  Blake,  of  Boston,  was  appointed  assistant  quarter 
master-general,  with  the  rank  of  major,  Aug.  7,  1862.  The 
duty  of  Major  Blake  was  to  return  to  their  regiments  the  men 
who  were  reported  deserters. 

Charles  N.  Emerson,  of  Pittsfield,  was  appointed  assistant 
quartermaster-general,  with  the  rank  of  major,  Aug.  20,  1862, 
with  special  reference  to  raising  troops. 

William  Rogers,  of  Boston,  was  appointed  assistant  adjutant- 
general  Aug.  23,  1862,  with  special  reference  to  preparing  the 
State  for  a  draft. 

Charles  J.  Higginson,  of  Boston,  was  appointed  assistant  ad 
jutant-general,  with  the  rank  of  major,  Sept.  9,  1862. 

William  L.  Burt,  of  Boston,  was  appointed  judge-advocate- 
general,  Oct.  1,  1862,  and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  briga 
dier-general,  Feb.  9,  1865. 

Charles  Sprague  Sargent,  of  Brookline,  was  appointed 
assistant  quartermaster-general,  with  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant, 
Nov.  3,  1862. 

William  Sturgis  Hooper,  of  Boston,  was  appointed  assistant 
adjutant-general,  with  the  rank  of  captain,  Nov.  19,  1862. 
Captain  Hooper  served  with  this  rank  at  New  Orleans  as  staff 
officer  under  General  Banks,  and  died  July  1,  1863. 

The  foregoing  pages  bring  the  history  of  Massachusetts  in  the 
war  to  the  close  of  the  year  1862,  at  which  time  Massachusetts 
was  represented  by  her  brave  men  in  nearly  every  field  of  ser 
vice,  and  upon  the  decks  of  every  ship  in  the  American  navy. 
She  had  given  martyrs  to  the  great  cause  on  nearly  every  battle 
field,  and  in  every  naval  engagement,  in  the  war.  Many  had 
died ;  many  had  their  limbs  severed  from  their  bodies  ;  many 
households  had  been  made  desolate ;  many  stood  by  the  buts  of 
their  muskets,  keeping  watch  and  ward,  facing  the  enemy,  from 
the  falls  of  the  Potomac  to  the  delta  of  the  Mississippi.  Some 
were  in  prison,  some  were  in  hospitals,  some  were  in  tents, 
some  swinging  in  their  hammocks  at  the  mouths  of  rivers  to 
prevent  blockade-runners  from  supplying  the  enemy.  Thus 
sixty  thousand  men  of  Massachusetts  were  engaged  when  the 
course  of  time  brought  in  the  year  1863. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

The  Proclamation  of  Freedom  —  Colored  Regiments  —  Letter  to  Samuel  Hooper 
—  The  California  Battalion  —  Meeting  of  the  Legislature,  January,  1863  — 
Organization  —  Address  of  the  Governor — Delay  of  the  Government  in  pay 
ing  the  Soldiers  —  The  Commission  of  Mr.  Crowninshield  —  His  Claim  not 
allowed  —  Reports  of  the  Adjutant,  Surgeon,  and  Quartermaster  Generals  — 
Abstract  of  Military  Laws  —  Letter  to  Hon.  Thomas  D.  Eliot  —  Western 
Sanitary  Commission  —  Confidential  Letter  to  General  Hooker  —  Efforts  to 
reinstate  Major  Copeland  —  The  Pirate  "  Alabama  "  —  Curious  Coinci 
dence  —  Authority  to  recruit  a  Colored  Regiment  —  The  Governor's  Policy 
in  the  Selection  of  Officers  —  Colonel  Shaw  —  The  Passage  of  the  Fifty- 
fourth  (colored)  Regiment  through  Boston  —  Departure  for  South  Carolina 

—  Death  of  Colonel  Shaw  at  Fort  Wagner  —  Letter  of  the  Governor  to  Cap 
tain   Sherman  —  Letter   to   General    Hamilton,   of  Texas  —  Major    Burt  — 
Plan  to  invade  Texas — Mortality  of  Massachusetts  Regiments  in  Louisiana 

—  War   Steamers  —  Rights   of  Colored    Soldiers  —  Temperance  —  General 
"Oilman's  Expedition  —  Coast  Defences  —  General  Wilde  —  John  M.  Forbes 
writes  from  London  —  Colonel  Ritchie  —  A  Rebel  Letter  —  Robert  C.  Win- 
throp  —  Letter  to  Mr.  Gooch,  M.C.  —  Army  Officers  in  Boston — Cases  of 
Suffering —  Useless  Detail  of  Volunteer  Officers  —  Letter  to  General  Wool  — 
Suggestions   about   Recruiting  —  About  Deserters  —  Staff  Appointments  — 
Complaints  —  Nine  Months'  Men  —  Letter  to  J.  H.  Mitchell,  Massachusetts 
Senate  —  Claims  for  Money  in  the  Legislature  —  Case  of  Mr.  Maxwell,  of 
Charlemont  —  Sergeant  Plunkett,  of  the  Twenty -first  Regiment  —  Soldiers 
to  be  shot  —  Troubles  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  &c. 

THE  battle  for  the  Union  had  now  lasted  two  years  without 
decisive  results.  The  Union  armies  had  met  the  enemy  on  many 
battle-fields ;  alternate  victory  and  defeat  had  marked  the  con 
test.  The  Union  forces  had  stretched  from  the  lines  of 
Virginia  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  from  the  Mississippi  to 
the  Tennessee  ;  gradually  bringing  within  their  folds  the  enemies 
of  the  nation.  The  loyal  people  had  learned  much  in  those  two 
years.  The  Administration  had  been  educated  to  an  anti-slavery 
point.  On  the  22d  of  September,  1862,  the  President  had 
issued  his  Proclamation  of  Freedom  to  the  enslaved ;  and,  be 
fore  the  end  of  the  year  1863,  what  had  been  predicted  by  ear- 


392  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

nest  men  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  became  a  truth. 
"  Africa  was  carried  into  the  war ;  "  the  black  man  made  a 
soldier,  with  a  musket  in  his  hand,  and  on  his  body  the  uniform 
of  a  loyal  volunteer.  The  colored  men  were  to  fight  side  by 
side  with  the  whites  for  the  unity  of  the  nation,  and  the  flag, 
which  for  the  first  time,  but  now  for  all  time,  symbolized  liberty 
for  all  men. 

The  proclamation  of  liberty,  and  the  employment  of  freedmen 
as  soldiers  in  the  Union  army,  were  the  practical  embodiment  of 
intelligent  Massachusetts  thought.  The  plan  was  favored  from 
the  beginning,  and  looked  forward  to  with  fond  hopes,  by  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  and  prominent  public  men  in  the  Commonwealth. 
They  saw  in  this  the  certainty  of  a  successful  issue  of  the  war. 
Upon  the  appearance  of  the  President's  proclamation,  the  Gov 
ernor  caused  a  hundred  thousand  copies  of  it  to  be  printed,  which, 
together  with  a  circular  addressed  to  the  commanding  officers  of 
Massachusetts  regiments,  he  forwarded  to  the  front,  with  the 
expectation  and  hope  that  opportunities  would  occur  to  have 
them  distributed  within  the  enemy's  lines  ;  a  thousand  copies  he 
also  forwarded  to  General  Rufus  Saxton,  commanding  the  Union 
forces  in  South  Carolina.  The  proclamation  was  to  take  effect 
on  the  1st  of  January,  1863.  On  the  2d,  General  Order  No. 
1  was  issued  by  the  Governor,  which  had  reference  to  the  proc 
lamation  ;  the  opening  paragraph  of  which  was  in  these 
words  :  — 

"  With  the  new  year,  America  commences  a  new  era  of  national 
life,  in  which  we  invoke  the  blessing  of  Heaven  upon  our  country  and 
its  armies  with  renewed  faith  in  the  favor  of  Almighty  God." 

The  order  recapitulated  the  substance  of  the  proclamation, 
and  presented  an  argument  for  the  blessings  expected  to  flow 
from  it,  and  concluded  in  these  words  :  — 

"  In  honor  of  the  proclamation,  and  as  an  official  recognition  of  its 
justice  and  necessity  by  Massachusetts,  which  was  the  first  of  the 
United  States  to  secure  equal  rights  to  all  its  citizens,  it  is  ordered 
that  a  salute  of  one  hundred  guns  be  fired  on  Boston  Common  at  noon 
the  next  day,  Jan.  3." 

Before  the  end  of  the  year,  Massachusetts  had  recruited  two 


ARRIVAL    OF    THE    CALIFORNIA    COMPANY.  393 

regiments  of  colored  troops,  the  first  that  were  organized  in  any 
of  the  loyal  States,  and  sent  them  forth  into  the  war,  armed 
and  equipped  in  the  best  manner,  and  officered  by  the  best  men 
who  had  served  in  the  volunteer  army. 

On  the  twenty-seventh  day  of  December,  1862,  Hon.  Samuel 
Hooper,  a  member  of  Congress  from  this  State,  wrote  to  the 
Governor  for  his  opinion  in  regard  to  the  national  finances  :  to 
which  he  replied,  Jan.  5,  that  he  did  not  consider  himself 
qualified  to  express  a  definite  opinion  on  the  subject.  On 
the  contrary,  "  I  feel,"  he  says,  "  a  degree  of  happiness  in 
being  in  a  position  similar  to  that  of  the  judge  who  congratu 
lated  himself  that  it  was  his  privilege  not  to  have  any  opinion 
on  a  complicated  question  of  fact,  on  which  it  was  the  duty  of 
the  jury  to  make  up  their  minds."  The  Governor  said,  how 
ever,  that  he  should  not  run  counter  to  Mr.  Chase's  system  in 
regard  to  our  national  currency,  but  should  decidedly  favor  it ; 
that  he  had  seen,  a  few  days  before,  a  letter,  written  to  a  friend 
in  Boston  by  Joshua  Bates,  of  London,  concerning  the  conduct 
of  our  finances  during  the  war,  which  he  deemed  to  have  been 
on  the  whole  to  our  credit,  although  he  criticised  the  issue  of 
legal-tender  notes,  thinking  we  should  have  first  resorted  to  bor 
rowing  on  long  loans  ;  yet  it  was  his  opinion  that  it  would  have 
been  absolutely  impossible  for  us  ultimately  to  avoid  resorting 
to  them. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  a  sum  of  money  collected  in  San 
Francisco,  Cal.,  by  citizens  of  that  place,  and  forwarded  to 
Governor  Andrew,  to  be  distributed  among  the  families  of 
Massachusetts  volunteers  in  the  war.  When  it  was  proposed  in 
November,  1862,  to  raise  the  Second  Kegiment  of  Cavalry, 
men  of  Massachusetts  birth,  living  in  California,  proposed  to 
raise  a  company  for  the  regiment ;  and  a  correspondence  was 
opened  through  Mr.  Rankin,  Collector  of  the  port  of  San  Fran 
cisco,  with  the  Governor,  in  regard  to  accepting  it.  Permission 
was  given  by  Secretary  Stanton  to  accept  it,  and  the  men  were 
to  be  credited  to  the  quota  of  Massachusetts.  The  company  was 
raised  by  Captain  J.  Sewall  Reed,  of  San  Francisco.  The  pas- 
sa^es  of  the  officers  and  men  were  paid  by  this  State ;  and  the 
company  arrived  at  "Camp  Meigs,"  Readville,  Jan.  4,  1863. 


394  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

The  Adjutant-General  of  the  State  was  detailed  to  receive 
the  company,  in  behalf  of  the  Governor,  at  the  camp,  and  to 
thank  them  in  his  name  for  the  honor  they  had  conferred  on 
the  State  by  coming  so  many  miles  to  enter  a  Massachusetts 
regiment,  and  carry  its  flag  in  the  war  for  liberty  and  Union. 
It  was  five  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  the  company  arrived. 
Colonel  Charles  li.  Lowell,  Jr.,  who  was  to  command  the  regi 
ment,  Brigadier-General  Peirce,  Major  Crowninshield,  and  a 
number  of  the  line  officers,  were  present  to  receive  them. 

On  the  arrival  of  the  company,  a  salute  was  fired,  and  an 
escort  of  the  cavalry  conducted  the  company  to  their  quarters, 
where  a  good  warm  breakfast  had  been  prepared,  and  was  ready 
for  the  men.  The  officers  were  taken  to  Colonel  Lowell's  quar 
ters,  where  they  were  welcomed  to  Massachusetts  by  the  Adju 
tant-General,  whose  speech,  in  behalf  and  in  the  name  of  the 
Governor,  was  responded  to  by  Captain  Reed  ;  and  in  this  way, 
on  a  cold  January  morning,  were  the  Californians  received,  and 
took  their  places  in  the  Union  army  on  the  Massachusetts  line. 
In  a  report  made  by  the  Adjutant-General  to  the  Governor  on 
the  same  day,  he  says, — 

"  To-morrow,  at  eleven  o'clock.  General  Peirce,  Colonel  Lowell,  and 
the  officers  of  the  California  company,  will  pay  their  respects  to  your 
Excellency  at  the  State  House.  The  Californians  are  mostly  Massa 
chusetts  men,  though  not  exclusively  so  ;  some  are  from  New  York 
and  New  Hampshire ;  one  is  a  native  of  California,  a  celebrated 
thrower  of  the  lasso.  The  captain  told  me  that  five  hundred  men 
applied  to  go  with  him  to  Massachusetts.  He  selected  his  men  with 
great  cure,  and  came  with  a  full  and  complete  company.  I  never  saw  a 
finer  body  of  men  ;  Colonel  Lowell  is  delighted  with  them.  If  your 
engagements  are  such  that  you  cannot  receive  the  officers  at  eleven, 
to-morrow,  please  appoint  a  time  when  they  can  be  received." 

The  engagement  was  kept,  and  Governor  Andrew  gave  the 
officers  a  hearty  welcome. 

So  great  was  the  success  of  the  arrangement,  and  so  well 
satisfied  were  the  California  men,  that  three  other  companies, 
making  a  battalion,  were  raised  in  California,  and  joined  the 
regiment;  Massachusetts  paying  expense  of  transportation, 
and  allowing  the  bounty  to  the  volunteers  which  the  Legislature 


ORGANIZATION    OF    THE    LEGISLATURE.  395 

had  authorized.  Of  this  battalion,  DeWitt  C.  Thompson,  for 
merly  of  Major-General  Halleck's  staff,  was  appointed  major.  ^No 
better  officers  or  men  than  these  volunteers  from  California 
served  in  the  Union  army.  Many  of  them  were  killed  in 
battle,  and  never  returned  again  to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific ; 
among  whom  was  the  first  captain,  J.  Sewall  Reed,  who  was 
killed  in  action  Feb.  22,  1864. 

The  Legislature  for  1863  met  at  the  State  House  on  Wed 
nesday,  Jan.  7.  Jonathan  E.  Field,  of  Berkshire  County,  was 
elected  President  of  the  Senate,  having  received  all  the  votes 
but  four,  which  were  cast  for  Peter  Harvey,  of  Suffolk. 

On  taking  the  chair,  Mr.  Field  made  a  short  address,  the 
only  part  of  which  relating  to  national  affairs  was  the  fol 
lowing  reference  to  the  Proclamation  of  Freedom  issued  by  the 
President,  which  went  into  effect  on  the  first  of  January.  Mr. 
Field  said,  — 

"  The  year  was  inaugurated  by  an  event  claimed  by  its  friends  to  be 
second  in  importance  only  to  that  which  relieved  us  from  colonial  de 
pendence.  Whatever  may  be  its  influences  upon  the  war  and  upon 
the  disloyal  States,  the  loyal  are  made  truly  free.  In  this,  as  in  every 
other  measure  intended  to  suppress  the  Rebellion,  and  uproot  its  causes, 
Massachusetts  will  yield  to  the  Government  no  qualified  support.  In 
the  complete  performance  of  her  whole  duty  to  the  Union,  she  will 
neither  falter  nor  fail." 

Stephen  N.  Gifford,  of  Duxbury,  was  re-elected  clerk,  hav 
ing  received  every  vote. 

The  House  organized  by  the  choice  of  Alexander  H.  Bullock, 
of  Worcester,  for  Speaker,  who  received  every  vote  but  three, 
which  were  cast  for  Caleb  Gushing,  of  Newburyport. 

Mr.  Bullock  spoke  at  considerable  length.  In  the  course  of 
his  speech,  he  was  eloquent  in  his  praise  of  the  services  of 
Massachusetts  soldiers  in  the  war.  He  said,  — 

"  They  have  fought,  many  have  fallen,  under  McClellan  and  Burn- 
side,  both  dear  to  them ;  under  Butler  and  Banks,  both  soldiers  of 
Massachusetts,  bringing  laurels  to  her  brow.  They  have  stood,  and  they 
have  fallen,  wheresoever  and  under  whomsoever  it  has  pleased  the 
Government  to  appoint  their  lot." 


396  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

William  S.  Robinson,  of  Maiden,  was  re-elected  clerk  of  the 
House  by  a  unanimous  vote. 

The  address  of  the  Governor  was  delivered  before  the  two 
branches  of  the  Legislature,  on  Friday,  Jan.  9.  It  was  a 
document  of  remarkable  force  and  eloquence.  It  not  only  dis 
cussed  the  position  of  Massachusetts  in  the  war,  but  also  a 
variety  of  topics  relating  to  the  social,  physical,  financial,  agri 
cultural,  and  educational  condition  of  the  State.  The  receipts 
in  the  treasury  from  the  ordinary  sources  of  revenue,  for  the 
year  1862,  were  $2,947,732.48,  of  which  $1,763,108.62  were 
raised  by  direct  taxation  upon  the  property  of  the  Common 
wealth.  The  disbursements  for  the  year  amounted  to  $1,683, 
390.93,  of  which  $435,251.77,  was  for  State  aid  to  the 
families  of  soldiers.  The  Governor  then  presented  in  concise 
form  the  labors  performed  during  the  year  in  raising  and 
equipping  troops  for  the  general  service,  and  the  number  of  men 
sent  to  the  front,  which  has  been  stated  in  preceding  pages. 
The  Governor  said,  — 

"  I  have  always  insisted,  that,  so  far  as  possible,  every  corps  should 
receive  a  full  outfit  and  equipment  before  leaving  the  Commonwealth. 
This  much  I  have  felt  was  demanded  by  my  duty  to  the  soldiers  and 
the  people." 

He  deeply  regretted  that  his  request  to  have  the  troops  des 
tined  for  the  expeditions  to  Louisiana  and  Texas  embark  from 
our  own  ports,  where  they  could  have  been  protected  from  need 
less  hardships  and  perils,  encountered  by  some  of  them  in  their 
embarkation  from  New  York,  had  been  refused. 

"  The  conduct  of  the  troops  of  this  Commonwealth,"  he  said, 
"  whether  in  camp  or  on  the  march  or  under  fire,  has  won  the  un 
qualified  commendation  of  all  the  generals  under  whom  they  have 
served.  They  are  universal  favorites,  sought  for  by  commanders  for 
their  intelligence,  obedience,  and  valor." 

In  speaking  of  the  draft  by  which  it  was  proposed  to  raise  the 
nine  months'  troops,  he  says,  — 

"  Questions  of  grave,  practical  importance,  affecting  the  interest  and 
feelings  of  large  masses  of  the  people,  sometimes  involving  local  and  geo 
graphical  considerations  ;  points  of  honor,  on  which  whole  communities 


ADDRESS  OF  GOVERNOR  ANDREW.          397 

were  sensitive  ;  points  of  right  even,  touching  which  all  men  are  jealous  ; 
many  of  them  difficult,  all  of  them  new  and  without  a  precedent,  — 
have  crowded  upon  the  Executive  for  decision.  For  a  correct  decision, 
he  alone  was  responsible." 

He  then  expresses  his  thanks  for  the  cordial,  intelligent,  and 
constant  assistance  he  had  received  from  the  other  officers, 
military  and  civil,  and  the  different  municipal  authorities  of 
the  cities  and  towns. 

The  bounties  paid  by  the  different  municipalities  to  obtain 
men,  and  avoid  a  draft,  he  recommended  should  be  equalized,  and 
assumed  by  the  State,  to  be  paid  by  tax  upon  the  property 
and  polls  of  the  whole  people.  He  also  referred  to  the  cases 
of  deserters,  which  he  said  were  rare ;  and,  so  far  as  want  and 
flight  from  duty  was  concerned,  many  men  who  had  come  home 
on  furloughs  either  sick  or  wounded  had  not  returned  to  their 
regiments  after  recovering  their  health,  because  of  the  difficulties 
attendant  on  finding  their  regiments,  and  their  dread  of  the 
convalescent  and  stragglers'  camp  at  Alexandria.  Many  con 
valescent  soldiers  have  been  returned  as  deserters  who  had  been 
detained  as  nurses  in  hospitals,  sent  on  detached  duty  of  every 
sort,  and  detailed  to  assist  quartermasters  and  commissaries. 
Of  the  twelve  hundred  Massachusetts  soldiers  who  had  been 
reported  absent  without  leave,  only  about  twenty  had  manifestly 
deserted.  This  did  not  include  persons  attracted  by  recent 
bounties,  of  whom  there  had  been  too  many  striving  to  enlist 
without  the  purpose  of  serving. 

The  Governor  devoted  considerable  space  to  the  consideration 
of  the  fortifications  and  coast  defences  of  the  State.  He  referred 
to  a  circular  letter  issued  by  Mr.  Seward,  Secretary  of  State, 
Oct.  14,  1861,  calling  the  attention  of  the  Governors  of  the 
seaboard  and  lake  States,  and  urging  that  such  defences 
should  be  perfected  by  the  States  themselves,  with  the  assurance 
of  the  reimbursements  from  the  Federal  treasury.  This  State 
at  once  acted  upon  the  suggestion  :  information  and  estimates 
were  asked  from  the  War  Department  in  regard  to  the  cost. 
In  February,  1862,  the  Legislature  authorized  the  Governor  to 
enter  into  contracts  to  the  amount  of  $500,000  for  the  manu 
facture  of  ordnance  suitable  for  the  defence  of  our  coast.  But  it 


398  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

was  ascertained,  by  consultation  with  Federal  ordnance  officers, 
that  the  cost  of  completing  the  armament  of  the  Massachusetts 
coast  would  amount  to  150,000.  This  delayed  matters.  In 
the  mean  time,  the  conflict  between  the  "Merrimack"  and  the 
"  Monitor,"  in  Hampton  Roads,  cast  a  serious  doubt  upon  the 
stability  of  any  projects  of  fortification  or  armament  of  our  har 
bor  ;  and  the  Governor  was  requested  by  the  War  Department 
to  expend  the  money  appropriated  upon  the  immediate  construc 
tion  of  iron-clad  vessels.  He  appointed  a  committee  —  two 
members  of  the  Executive  Council,  the  President  of  the  Boston 
Board  of  Trade,  and  an  eminent  civil  engineer  —  to  consider  the 
subject.  The  Legislature  had  passed  a  resolve  Feb.  14,  1862, 
and  appropriated  a  sum  of  money  to  build  one  or  more  iron-clad 
steamers  for  the  protection  of  the  coast.  Parties  stood  ready  to 
build  such  a  vessel,  when  a  protest  was  received  from  the  Naval 
Department  against  it,  alleging  that  that  department  was  will 
ing  to  put  "  under  construction,  in  every  part  of  the  country,  all 
that  the  utmost  resources  of  the  people  could  accomplish,"  and 
it  was  "  sorry  to  find  a  State  entering  the  market  in  competition 
with  Government,  the  result  of  which  could  only  injure  both 
parties."  To  this  the  Governor  answered  that  there  were  at 
least  two  establishments  in  Massachusetts  capable  of  building 
such  vessels,  whose  services  had  not  been  required  by  the  Gov 
ernment.  The  reply  of  the  Navy  Department  was  an  offer,  to 
each  of  these  establishments,  of  a  contract  for  building  an  iron 
clad  steamer.  A  like  difficulty  prevented  the  State  from  pro 
curing  the  manufacture  of  heavy  ordnance.  The  War  Depart 
ment  had  engaged,  to  the  full  extent  of  their  capacity,  all  the 
founderies  which  were  known  to  be  prepared  to  cast  suitable  and 
heavy  cannon  for  arming  the  fortifications  on  the  coast ;  and  no 
aid  from  the  State,  therefore,  had  been  necessary  to  expedite  the 
work.  The  result  was,  that  nothing  was  done  by  the  State  at  this 
time,  either  to  build  iron-clads  or  manufacture  heavy  guns  ;  and 
the  coast  remained  for  some  time  longer  without  any  adequate 
means  of  defence. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  address,  the  Governor  spoke  in  fit 
ting  language  of  our  heroic  dead,  and  of  the  soldiers  in  the 
war  :  — 


ADDRESS  OF  GOVERNOR  ANDREW.  399 

"  Peaceful,  rural,  and  simple  in  their  tastes,  her  people,  never  for 
getting  the  lessons  learned  by  their  fathers,  not  less  of  War  than  of 
Religion,  are  found  in  arms  for  their  fathers'  flag  wherever  it  waves, 
from  Boston  to  Galveston.  The  troops  of  Massachusetts  in  Maryland, 
in  Virginia,  in  the  Carolinas,  in  Louisiana,  in  Texas  ;  the  details  from 
her  regiments  for  gunboat  service  on  the  Southern  arid  Western  rivers  ; 
her  seamen  in  the  navy,  assisting  at  the  reduction  of  the  forts,  from 
Hatteras  Inlet  to  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  or  going  down  to  that 
silence  deeper  than  the  sea,  in  the  '  Monitor '  or  the  '  Cumberland,'  — 
all  remember  their  native  State  as  a  single  star  of  a  brilliant  con 
stellation,  —  the  many  in  one  they  call  their  country.  By  the  facts 
of  our  history,  the  very  character  of  our  people,  and  the  tendencies 
of  their  education,  industry,  and  training,  Massachusetts  is  independ 
ent  in  her  opinions,  loyal  to  the  Union,  and  the  uncompromising  foe  of 
treason." 

After  recapitulating  the  many  battle-fields,  from  Big  Bethel 
and  Cedar  Mountain  to  Baton  Eouge  and  Antietam,  in  which 
Massachusetts  soldiers  had  borne  a  brave  and  gallant  part,  he 
says,  — 

"  How  can  fleeting  words  of  human  praise  give  the  record  of  their 
glory  ?  Our  eyes  suffused  with  tears,  and  blood  retreating  to  the 
heart  stirred  with  unwonted  thrill,  speak  with  the  eloquence  of  nature 
uttered  but  unexpressed.  From  the  din  of  the  battle  they  have  passed 
to  the  peace  of  eternity.  Farewell !  Warrior,  citizen,  patriot,  lover, 
friend  ;  whether  in  the  humbler  ranks,  or  bearing  the  sword  of  offi 
cial  power;  whether  private,  captain,  surgeon,  or  chaplain,  —  for  all 
these  in  the  heady  fight  have  passed  away,  —  Hail !  and  Farewell ! 
Each  hero  must  sleep  serenely  on  the  field  where  he  fell  in  a  cause 
sacred  to  liberty  and  the  rights  of  mankind." 

On  the  twentieth  day  of  January,  the  Governor  sent  in  a 
special  message  to  the  Legislature,  calling  their  attention  to  the 
vexatious  delays  of  the  General  Government  in  the  payment  of 
the  soldiers,  which  occasioned  suffering  both  in  the  army  and  to 
the  families  of  the  soldiers  at  home.  He  therefore  recommended 
to  the  Legislature  to  assume  the  payment  of  the  Massachusetts 
soldiers,  or  such  of  them  as  would  consent  to  allot  a  portion  of 
their  monthly  pay  for  the  support  of  their  families  at  home,  or 
to  deposit  on  interest  in  the  State  treasury  subject  to  their 
order. 


400  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

On  the  sixth  day  of  February,  in   reply  to  an   order  of  the 
House,  requesting  a  report  of  the   amount  claimed   or  paid  as 
commissions,  compensation,  expenses,  or  profits  by  persons  who 
went  to  foreign  countries  to  purchase  arms  on  account  of  the 
State,  the   Governor  submitted  a  brief  statement,  by  which   it 
appears  that  Mr.  Crowninshield,  and  Mr.  McFarland,  who  ac 
companied  him  to   Europe  to  purchase   arms  and   equipments, 
were  the  only  persons  that  had  been  employed  on  that  business 
up  that  time.     Mr.    Crowninshield  returned  home   in  August, 
1861.     Mr.  McFarland  was  left  in  England  to  superintend  the 
execution  of  uncompleted  contracts,  and  to  inspect  the  arms  as 
manufactured.     He  remained  on  this  business  until  the  spring 
of  1862.     For  his  entire  services  Mr.  McFarland  was  paid  the 
sum  of  $3,527.96.     "In  the  final  settlement  of  accounts,"  the 
Governor  says,  "  the  claim  of  two  and  a  half  per  cent  on  all 
the  disbursements  was  made  by  Mr.  Crowninshield  for  compen 
sation    for   himself."     The    disbursements   were    $351,347.48. 
This  claim  was  not  allowed  by  the  Governor  and  Council.     An 
order  was  passed  by  the  Executive  Council,  allowing  Mr.  Crown 
inshield  $2,500  for  his  expenses  in  purchasing  arms  in  England 
on  condition  that  he  settle  the  account  as  rendered  by  him  of 
Mr.  McFarland  as  inspector  of  said   arms,  and  return  to  the 
Treasurer  proper  vouchers  for  the  same ;  and  James  M.  Shute, 
James  Ritchie,  and  Gerry  W.  Cochrane,  members  of  the  Coun 
cil,  were  appointed  a  committee,  with  authority  to  settle  with 
Mr.  Crowninshield  on  the  above  conditions. 
The  Governor  then  states,  — 

"  The  proposition  made  by  this  order,  being  communicated  by  the 
committee  to  Mr.  Crowninshield,  was  declined  by  him  in  writing,  Sept. 
20 ;  and  his  account  remains  unadjusted.  He  retains  in  his  hands  a 
balance  of  £512.  10s.  5e?.,  or  $2,482.87,  of  funds  belonging  to  the  Com 
monwealth,  and  claims  for  his  compensation  an  additional  amount  of 
£1,276.  14s.,  or  $6,184.90,  or,  in  all,  £1,789.  4s.  5d.,  or  $8,667.77." 

The  Governor  further  adds,  — 

"  The  instructions  addressed  to  Mr.  Crowninshield  are  silent  on  the 
subject  of  compensation  for  his  agency.  At  the  time  he  sailed  for 


THE  PURCHASE  OF  ARMS  IN  ENGLAND.        401 

Europe,  in  April,  1861,  an  advance  of  $1,000  was  made  to  him  from 
the  treasury  of  the  Commonwealth  for  his  personal  expenses,  which 
amount  is  included  in  the  $2,500  allowed  to  him  by  the  order  of  the 
Governor  and  Council  of  Sept.  17,  1862;  and  it  is  not  intended  on 
the  part  of  the  Governor  to  admit,  by  any  thing  herein  contained,  that 
any  valid  claim  existed  against  the  Commonwealth  in  favor  of  the 
agent  for  time  and  services.  On  that  point,  for  the  purpose  of  the  in 
quiries  of  the  honorable  House,  it  is  not  necessary  here  to  express  an 
opinion." 

On  the  twenty-fourth  day  of  February,  the  Governor  trans 
mitted  with  a  message  to  the  House  the  Annual  Report  of  the 
Adjutant-General,  Quartermaster-General,  Master  of  Ordnance, 
and  the  Surgeon-General.  Of  these  reports  he  says, — 

"  It  has  been  the  aim  of  the  Adjutant- General  to  present  in  full 
detail,  not  only  the  formal  returns,  but,  so  far  as  possible,  the  main  fea 
tures,  of  the  military  history  of  each  of  the  Massachusetts  volunteer 
and  militia  corps  organized  and  serving  during  the  past  year." 

He  speaks  of  it  as  forming  an  interesting  and  honorable 
record.  Of  the  Surgeon-General's  report  he  says,  — 

"  I  venture  to  mention,  as  of  special  interest,  the  wise  and  suggestive 
report  of  the  Surgeon-General,  to  whose  intelligent  and  humane  ad 
ministration  of  his  bureau  I  confess  a  constant  obligation." 

He  also  speaks  in  terms  of  praise  of  our  agents,  Robert  R. 
Corson,  of  Philadelphia,  and  William  Robinson,  of  Baltimore, 
gentlemen  who  have  rendered  good  service  in  the  care  of  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers  in  hospitals,  and  soldiers  falling  into  dis 
tress  or  want.  These  gentlemen's  names  had  been  inadvertently 
omitted  in  the  Adjutant-General's  report.  He  also  refers  to  the 
services  rendered  by  Colonels  Howe  and  Tufts,  Massachusetts 
agents  at  New  York  and  Washington,  of  whom  we  have  spoken 
in  preceding  pages,  and  whose  services  will  ever  be  remembered 
with  gratitude  by  a  humane  and  Christian  people. 

The  Legislature  remained  in  session  until  the  30th  of  April. 
We  omit  giving  an  abstract  of  its  proceedings,  as  the  greater 
portion  of  the  time  was  occupied  with  State  matters  not  relat 
ing  to  military  affairs.  It,  however,  passed  a  number  of  excellent 

26 


402  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

laws  respecting  our  soldiers  and  their  families,  an  abstract  of 
which  we  here  present. 

The  resolve  passed  March  10,  empowered  the  Governor 
to  purchase  or  have  manufactured  fifteen  thousand  stand  of 
muskets ;  also,  arms  and  equipments  for  one  regiment  of 
cavalry  ;  also,  guns  and  equipments  for  five  batteries. 

An  act  passed  April  29,  authorized  the  re-imbursement  to 
the  cities  and  towns  for  the  bounties  paid  by  them  to  volun 
teers,  in  sums  not  exceeding  one  hundred  dollars  to  each  volun 
teer. 

An  act  passed  April  17,  authorized  sheriffs  and  deputy- 
sheriffs,  police  of  cities,  and  constables  of  towns,  to  arrest 
persons  charged  with  desertion,  upon  the  written  order  of  the 
provost-marshals  of  the  different  districts  within  the  Common 
wealth. 

An  act  approved  April  17,  provided  that  no  person,  en 
listed  or  drafted,  who  had  received  bounty  money  or  advance 
pay,  should  be  discharged  from  the  service  upon  a  writ  of 
habeas  corpus  on  the  ground  that  he  was  a  minor,  or  on  any 
other  ground,  until  he  had  paid  over  the  bounty  money  or  ad 
vance  pay,  and  turned  in  the  clothing  and  arms  and  military 
accoutrements,  which  he  might  have  received. 

The  resolve  approved  April  14,  appropriated  the  sum  of 
ten  thousand  dollars  for  the  benefit  of  the  Discharged  Soldiers' 
Home,  on  Springfield  Street,  Boston,  on  condition  that  an  equal 
amount  be  raised  by  private  subscription,  and  used  for  the  same 
purpose. 

An  act  approved  April  27,  legalized  the  acts  and  doings 
of  cities  and  towns  in  paying  bounties  to  volunteers,  and  taxes 
assessed  to  pay  the  same. 

An  act  approved  April  23,  authorized  the  State  aid  to  be 
paid  to  families  of  drafted  men  the  same  as  to  families  of 
volunteers. 

An  act  approved  March  1  rendered  null  and  void  any  tax 
levied  upon  a  city  or  town  to  relieve  or  discharge  from  the  mili 
tary  service  any  person  who  shall  be  called  or  drafted  into  such 
service. 

The   resolves  approved  April  6,  were   in  grateful  acknowl- 


ACTS    PASSED    BY    THE    LEGISLATURE.  403 

edgment  of  the  services  rendered  by  our  soldiers  in  the  war ; 
and  the  Governor  was  authorized  to  forward  copies  of  the  same 
to  the  different  regiments. 

The  resolve  approved  April  28,  authorized  the  Governor  to 
appoint  three  persons  to  be  commissioners  to  inquire  into  the 
expediency  of  establishing  a  State  military  academy. 

An  act  passed  March  3,  provided  for  the  payment,  by  the 
State,  of  the  pay  due  to  soldiers  by  the  Federal  Government, 
and  for  the  encouragement  of  the  allotment  of  pay  by  the 
soldiers. 

An  act  approved  March  7,  provided  that  each  city  and 
town  shall  keep  a  complete  record  of  the  soldiers  belonging 
thereto  in  the  United  States  service  ;  the  book  to  be  furnished 
by  the  Adjutant-General. 

An  act  approved  March  17,  authorized  the  Governor  to 
pay  bounties,  not  to  exceed  fifty  dollars  each,  to  volunteers. 

The  resolve  approved  March  30,  appropriated  twenty  thou 
sand  dollars  for  the  maintenance  of  agencies  out  of  the  Com 
monwealth,  as  the  Governor  may  find  needful,  for  the  aid  of 
sick  and  wounded  or  distressed  Massachusetts  soldiers. 

An  act  approved  March  12,  authorized  cities  and  towns  to 
raise  money  by  taxation  for  the  support  of  the  families  of 
deceased  soldiers ;  also,  families  of  soldiers  discharged  for 
disability. 

An  act  approved  April  21,  authorized  the  formation  of  vol 
unteer  companies  for  military  service,  to  be  composed  of  men 
over  forty-five  years  of  age,  who  were  to  be  called  the  State 
Guard,  and  be  uniformed,  armed,  and  equipped  as  a  majority 
of  each  company  might  decide. 

On  the  fourteenth  day  of  January,  the  Governor  wrote  to 
Thomas  D.  Eliot,  requesting  him  to  forward  a  copy  of  the 
President's  message,  with  the  accompanying  reports  of  the  Sec 
retaries,  and  adds,  — 

"  When  you  see  or  write  to  your  brother,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Eliot,  of  St. 
Louis,  pray  give  him  my  respects,  and  tell  him  that  the  subscription 
for  the  Western  Sanitary  Commission  is  doing  quite  well.  1  saw  the 
book  a  few  days  ago,  when  our  Lieu  tenant- Governor,  two  Councillors, 
and  a  member  of  my  staff,  who  were  present,  put  down  an  aggregate 


404  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

of  seven  hundred  dollars  ($700).  Having  recently  received  three 
thousand  dollars  ($3,000)  from  an  American  citizen  abroad,  to  use  for 
the  relief  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  and  their  families  at  my  dis 
cretion,  I  devoted  one  thousand  dollars  ($1,000)  of  it  to  this  purpose, 
and  gave  our  friend,  Mr.  Forbes,  a  check  for  that  amount.  I  knew 
but  little  of  the  subject,  save  that  I  knew  your  brother  was  interested 
in  the  matter.  His  name  is  good  evidence  always  in  Massachusetts." 

Among  the  gentlemen  of  Boston  who  took  an  early  and 
earnest  interest  in  furnishing  the  military  contingent  of  Massa 
chusetts,  in  their  donations  for  the  maintenance  and  support  of 
soldiers'  families,  was  Amos  A.  Lawrence,  a  well-known  and 
distinguished  merchant.  He  was  particularly  active  and  effi 
cient  in  raising  the  Second  Regiment  of  Cavalry,  and  received 
from  the  Governor,  Jan.  19,  a  letter  of  acknowledgment  for 
his  generous  and  efficient  services,  in  which  appears  the  follow 
ing  paragraph  :  — 

"  And  in  respect  to  the  project  for  confirming  the  intellectual  ascend 
ency  of  Massachusetts  by  inaugurating  a  system  of  university  educa 
tion  in  advance  of  the  other  States,  and  which  shall  be  to  them  a 
model,  I  learn  with  pleasure  that  the  views  I  had  the  honor  to  express 
in  my  late  address  to  the  Legislature  are  confirmed  by  your  respected 
judgment  and  extensive  experience." 

On  the  1st  of  January,  1863,  our  regiments  and  batteries  in 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  were,  after  a  year's  hard  fighting  in 
winter  quarters,  divided  only  by  the  Rappahannock  from  the 
rebel  forces.  Major-General  Joseph  Hooker  had  succeeded 
Generals  McClellan  and  Burnside  in  command.  For  his  quali 
ties  as  a  strategetical  and  brave  general,  great  hopes  of 
success  were  entertained.  He  was  popular  with  the  army,  and 
had  in  a  remarkable  degree  the  confidence  of  the  people.  He 
was  an  especial  favorite  of  Governor  Andrew,  and  of  the 
soldiers  of  Massachusetts.  He  had  succeeded  in  having  the 
army  newly  clothed  and  armed  ;  he  had  improved  the  com 
missariat  ;  and,  by  his  efforts,  the  soldiers  had  received  their  back 
pay. 

On  the  26th  of  January,  Governor  Andrew  wrote  General 
Hooker  a  confidential  letter,  in  which  he  congratulated  him 
upon  his  appointment  to  the  command  of  the  Army  of  the 


LETTER   TO   MAJOR-GENERAL    HOOKER.  405 

Potomac,  and  suggested  to  him  to  use  a  "little  military 
eloquence  in  his  first  order,"  in  which  he  should  especially  com 
mend,  encourage,  and  cheer  the  "  brave  good  fellows,  who  have 
borne  the  brunt  already,  some  of  them  in  three  campaigns." 
The  general  orders  heretofore  issued  "have  looked  to  the 
future  only,  and  have  reflected  more  or  less  merely  on  the  com 
mander."  A  few  words  of  praise  and  of  gratitude,  "suggesting 
nothing  but  hopefulness,  thankfulness,  and  good-will,  would  be 
worth  a  victory."  He  then  advised  him  to  go  around  and  speak 
a  few  pleasant  and  kind  words  to  "every  single  regiment, — >• 
EVERY  ONE.  Tell  the  boys  that  all  have  a  country  ;  all  will 
hereafter  have  a  history  ;  and  that,  a  hundred  years  hence,  the 
children  by  the  firesides  will  be  charmed  by  the  stories  their 
mothers  will  tell  them  of  the  valor  and  manliness  of  the  humblest 
private  who  served  well  or  died  bravely." 
This  letter  concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  am  anti-slavery ;  but  may  I  say  that  at  first  I  would  not  allude  to 
the  proclamation.  When  the  Secretary  of  War  shall,  by  general  order, 
promulgate  it,  which  will  be  done  shortly,  let  it  be  read  at  the  head  of 
every  regiment ;  and  I  would  then,  by  word  and  deed,  make  it  as  effi 
cient  and  vital  as  the  bayonet  of  the  soldier,  and  the  voice  of  the  com 
mander.  You  can  immediately  and  strongly  commit  every  officer  to 
the  policy  and  orders  of  his  Government ;  and  the  men  will  easily  see 
that  while  their  wives  give  up  their  husbands,  their  fathers  give  up 
their  sons,  to  the  hazards  of  war,  it  is  only  the  merest  justice  that  rebel 
masters  should  yield  up  their  slaves,  and  not  compel  them  to  be  rebels 
too.  You  will,  I  know,  general,  pardon,  and  ascribe  to  my  friendly 
interest  and  my  confidence  in  your  chivalrous  character,  the  apparent 
freedom  of  this  note  and  its  suggestions." 

An  officer  wrho  had  held  rank  on  the  staff  of  Major-General 
Banks,  had  been  summarily  dismissed  the  service  by  Mr. 
Stanton,  for  what  he  deemed  a  breach  of  military  etiquette, 
which  was  regarded  by  Governor  Andrew  as  an  act  of  in 
justice  towards  the  officer ;  and  he  exerted  himself  with  the 
President  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  at  divers  times,  to  have 
him  reinstated.  He  had  great  confidence  in  his  ability,  and  of 
his  soundness  in  regard  to  commanding  colored  troops.  When 
General  Ullman,  of  New  York,  received  the  appointment  of 


406  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

brigadier-general  to  raise  a  brigade  of  colored  troops  in  the 
Department  of  the  Gulf,  he  wrote  to  Governor  Andrew,  request- 
ino-  him  to  recommend  some  good  officers  for  his  command. 

The  gentleman  who  had  been  dismissed  the  service  the  Gov 
ernor  regarded  as  the  man  for  General  Ullman  to  have  ;  but, 
unless  the  Secretary  of  War  or  the  President  would  agree  to 
overlook  and  forgive  the  offence  committed,  he  could  not  be 
commissioned.  We  find  on  the  Governor's  files  a  number  of 
letters  written  about  this  time  to  the  President,  Mr.  Stanton, 
and  Senator  Sumner,  urging  the  re-appointment  of  this  officer, 
with  especial  reference  to  serving  under  General  Ullman.  One 
of  these  letters  addressed  to  Mr.  Sumner,  dated  Jan.  28, 
says,  — 

"  Without  a  moment's  delay,  go  to  the  President,  and  tell  him  for 
me  that  he  ought  to  believe  in  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  as  well  as  in  the 
resurrection  of  the  body  and  the  life  everlasting.  This  is  the  text : 
now  for  the  sermon.  You  know  Maurice  Copelaud  was  struck  off  the 
rolls  last  summer  by  a  presidential  order." 

The  Governor's  "  sermon  "  is  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of 
recommissioning  Major  Copeland.  The  error  which  he  had 
committed,  and  for  which  he  was  dismissed,  was  a  letter  which 
he  had  written  reflecting  upon  what  he  regarded  as  the  delay 
of  the  War  Department  in  the  employment  of  colored  troops. 
The  decision  originally  made  by  Mr.  Stanton  could  not  be  re 
versed,  as  he  regarded  the  letter  of  Mr.  Copeland  as  a  personal 
insult. 

On  the  second  day  of  February,  a  letter  was  written  by  Mr. 
George  Winslow,  of  Boston,  to  the  Governor,* in  which  he  in 
forms  him  that  the  pirate  "Alabama"  was  reported,  Jan.  24, 
two  hundred  miles  east  of  Hatteras,  steering  north;  while  the 
"Vanderbilt"  sailed  Jan.  30,  the  same  day  that  the  above 
news  reached  New  York  :  so  the  "  Vanderbilt  "  may  have  gone  to 
the  Gulf.  Semmes  was  reported  as  having  an  intention  of  com 
ing  into  Massachusetts  Bay.  "  Suppose  he  makes  such  an  impu 
dent  dash  now,  and  comes  into  Provincetown,  which  he  could 
easily  do  one  of  these  moonlight  nights."  The  writer  then  sug 
gests  to  the  Governor  to  telegraph  to  Washington  to  have  one 


THE    PIRATE    "ALABAMA."  407 

of  the  men-of-war  at  Charlestown  sent  to  Provincetown.     The 
letter  has  this  indorsement :  — 

"  The  within  copy  of  a  letter  I  have  received  from  George  Winslow, 
Esq.,  a  respectable  and  intelligent  merchant  of  this  city.  I  respect 
fully  refer  it  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  in  connection  with  the 
telegram  I  have  addressed  to  the  Navy  Department  to-day." 

The  Governor  had  telegraphed,  on  the  receipt  of  Mr.  Wins- 
low's  letter,  to  have  a  war-vessel  sent  to  Provincetown.  It  may 
be  regarded  as  one  of  the  coincidences  of  the  war,  that  the  infor 
mation  in  the  above  letter  should  have  been  conveyed  to  the 
Governor  by  Mr.  Winslow,  and  that  the  "  Alabama "  should 
have  been  sunk  by  Commodore  Winslow,  months  afterwards, 
in  the  harbor  of  Cherbourg,  France. 

Authority  was  received  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  by  an 
order  dated  Jan.  26,  to  recruit  a  colored  regiment  in  Massa 
chusetts.  The  first  authority  given  by  the  Governor  to  any 
person  to  recruit  colored  men  in  Massachusetts,  was  dated 
Feb.  7  ;  and  the  regiment  was  filled  to  the  maximum  May  14, 
in  less  than  one  hundred  days.  Before  its  organization  was 
completed,  there  being  so  many  colored  men  anxious  to  enlist, 
it  was  decided  to  raise  another  regiment,  which  was  rapidly 
filled.  These  two  colored  regiments  were  designated  the  Fifty- 
fourth  and  Fifty-fifth.  An  almost  impenetrable  wall  of  prejudice 
had  been  reared  against  the  employment  of  colored  men  in  the 
military  service.  The  Adjutant-General  of  Massachusetts,  in  his 
report  for  1863,  said, — 

"  It  required  calm  foresight,  thorough  knowledge  of  our  condition, 
earnest  conviction,  faith  in  men,  faith  in  the  cause,  and  undaunted 
courage,  to  stem  the  various  currents  which  set  in  and  flooded  the  land 
against  employing  the  black  man  as  a  soldier.  In  the  Executive  of 
Massachusetts  was  found  a  man  who  possessed  the  qualifications 
necessary  to  stem  these  currents,  and  to  wisely  inaugurate,  and  peace 
fully  carry  out  to  a  successful  termination,  the  experiment  of  recruit 
ing  regiments  of  colored  men." 

Although  the  act  of  Congress  authorizing  the  formation 
of  colored  regiments  did  not  prohibit  the  commissioning  of 
colored  officers,  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War  did.  On 
the  third  day  of  February,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Secre-< 


408  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    KEBELLION. 

tary  Stanton,  asking  him  to  withdraw  his  prohibition,  so  far  as 
concerns  line  officers,  assistant  surgeons,  and  chaplain  of  the 
colored  regiment  which  he  was  about  to  raise.  He  says, 
"  Power  would  not  be  used,  except,  possibly,  for  a  few  cases  of 
plainly  competent  persons,  recommended  by  the  field  officers, 
who  shall  be  gentlemen  and  soldiers  of  highest  merit  and  in 
fluence."  Permission  was  not  given. 

There  is  no  part  of  the  military  history  of  Massachusetts  of 
greater  interest  than  the  part  which  relates  to  the  recruiting  and 
organization  of  these  colored  regiments.  It  was  a  new  thing. 
Few  men  in  the  State  had  ever  seen  a  colored  man  in  uniform. 
They  were  not  allowed  to  form  part  of  the  militia,  or  to  be  en 
listed  in  the  regular  service.  By  many  it  was  regarded  as 
an  experiment  of  doubtful  utility ;  and  there  were  those,  even 
here  in  Massachusetts,  who  secretly  hoped  the  experiment 
would  prove  a  failure.  With  the  Governor  and  his  staff,  and 
prominent  citizens  who  had  supported  him  in  his  war  policy, 
the  employment  of  colored  troops  had  been  long  and  well  con 
sidered  and  anxiously  desired.  No  one  knew  better  than  the 
Governor  the  importance  of  having  the  experiment  succeed. 
As  one  of  the  means  to  this  end,  he  determined  to  select  for 
officers  the  very  best  material  that  could  be  found  in  the  Massa 
chusetts  volunteer  service.  They  should  be  men  of  acknowledged 
military  ability  and  experience,  of  the  highest  social  position,  if 
possible,  in  the  State,  and  men  who  believed  in  the  capacity  of 
colored  men  to  make  good  soldiers.  Upon  receiving  authority 
to  recruit  a  regiment,  he  immediately  fixed  upon  Robert  G. 
Shaw,  a  captain  in  the  Second  Regiment  Massachusetts  Infantry, 
as  the  colonel ;  a  gentleman  of  education,  a  brave  officer,  and 
connected,  by  blood  and  marriage,  with  the  oldest  and  most  re 
spectable  families  in  the  State.  Before  communicating  his  pur 
pose  to  Captain  Shaw,  he  wrote  Jan.  30  to  Francis  G.  Shaw, 
Esq.,  Staten  Island,  N.Y.,  father  of  the  captain,  to  obtain  his 
consent.  After  stating  fully  his  purpose  to  have  the  colored 
regiments  officered  by  the  best  men,  he  said,  "  My  mind  is  drawn 
toward  Captain  Shaw  by  many  considerations.  I  am  sure  he 
would  attract  the  support,  sympathy,  and  active  co-operation 
of  many  among  his  immediate  family  relations.  The  more 


ORGANIZATION   OF    COLORED   REGIMENTS.  409 

ardent,  faithful,  and  true  republicans  and  friends  of  liberty 
would  recognize  in  him  a  scion  from  a  tree  whose  fruit  and 
leaves  have  always  contributed  to  the  strength  and  healing  of 
our  generation."  Mr.  Shaw  was  willing  that  his  son  should 
serve  ;  and  Captain  Shaw  was  shortly  afterwards  relieved  from 
his  command,  and  came  to  Boston  to  superintend  the  recruit 
ment  of  the  regiment.  The  Governor  also  fixed  upon  Captain 
Edward  N.  Hallowell,  a  captain  in  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  as 
lieutenant-colonel.  He  was  a  son  of  Morris  L.  Hallowell,  a 
Quaker  gentleman  of  Philadelphia,  whose  house  in  that  city  had 
been  a  hospital  and  home  for  Massachusetts  officers  all  through 
the  war.  When  the  organization  of  the  Fifty-fourth  was  com 
pleted,  many  gentlemen  in  New  York,  who  favored  the  enlist 
ment  of  colored  troops,  desired  to  have  the  regiment  pass 
through  that  city  on  its  way  to  the  front.  They  wanted  to 
have  it  march  down  Broadway,  that  the  people  might  see  it,  and 
the  State  might  imitate  the  example  of  Massachusetts  in  regard 
to  colored  regiments.  But  others,  equally  friendly  to  raising 
colored  troops,  counselled  against  it.  They  feared  the  regiment 
might  be  insulted  by  vicious  men  in  that  city,  and  that  a  tu 
mult  might  ensue.  These  prudent  counsels  prevailed. 

The  regiment  was  ordered  to  South  Carolina.  It  came  to 
Boston  on  the  twenty-eighth  day  of  May,  and  embarked  on 
board  the  United-States  steam  transport  "  De  Molay."  It  was 
reviewed  on  the  Common  by  the  Governor.  Thousands  of 
citizens  came  in  from  the  country  to  witness  the  march  of  the 
regiment  through  the  streets  of  Boston.  The  sidewalks  were 

o  o 

crowded  with  people ;  flags  were  displayed  everywhere.  The 
regiment  was  cheered  the  whole  route.  It  was  one  of  the 
most  splendid  ovations  ever  seen  in  Boston.  The  men  kept 
close  rank  ;  not  a  man  left  his  place  ;  not  a  straggler  was  seen. 
The  embarkation  was  orderly  and  complete.  Two  sons  of 
Frederick  Douglass,  the  colored  orator,  were  in  the  ranks  ;  the 
father  himself  was  present  to  witness  the  departure  of  his  sons. 
About  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  transport  left  the  wharf. 
The  Adjutant-General,  Mr.  Douglass,  and  a  few  other  friends 
of  the  regiment,  were  on  board.  The  evening  was  beautiful ; 
the  moon  was  at  its  full.  A  small  Government  steamer  ac- 


410  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

companied  the  transport  a  mile  outside  of  Boston  Light.  On 
the  passage  down  the  bay,  the  men  were  addressed  by  Mr. 
Douglass,  the  Adjutant-General,  and  some  of  the  officers. 
Those  who  were  not  to  go  writh  the  regiment  returned  to  the 
city  on  the  Government  boat.  It  was  a  splendid  sight  to  see 
the  large  vessel,  with  its  precious  freight,  vanish  in  the  distance, 
as  it  proceeded  on  its  way  to  South  Carolina.  The  regiment 
reached  Hilton  Head  June  3.  On  the  eighteenth  day  of  July, 
it  led  the  advance  at  Fort  Wagner,  in  which  engagement 
Colonel  Shaw  was  killed.  His  body  never  was  recovered ; 
but  it  was  buried,  as  the  Charleston  papers  said,  "  with  his 
niggers." 

The  Fifty-fifth  Regiment  left  Boston  on  the  twenty-first  day 
of  June,  in  the  transport  "  Cahawba,"  for  Moorehead  City, 
N.C.  The  Adjutant-General,  in  his  report  for  1863,  gives 
many  details  relating  to  the  organization,  departure,  and 
services  of  these  colored  regiments.  The  Surgeon-General, 
also,  in  his  report  to  the  Governor  for  1863,  gives  an  interest 
ing  and  valuable  record  of  the  sanitary  condition  and  good  con 
duct  of  these  two  regiments  while  in  camp  at  Readville. 

"  If,"  says  the  Adjutant-General,  "  it  be  a  weakness  to  feel  a  strong 
interest  in  the  success  of  the  colored  men  to  sustain  the  Government, 
free  their  kindred  and  race  from  oppression,  arid  work  out  for  them 
selves  and  their  children,  through  the  smoke  and  fire  of  battle,  a 
respectable  position  among  the  peoples  of  the  earth,  I  confess  myself 
guilty  of  that  weakness  ;  and  if  it  be  prudence  to  meet  their  proffered 
assistance,  not  with  reciprocal  kindness,  but  with  coldness  and  with  in 
sult,  I  choose  still  to  follow  where  natural  impulse  leads,  and  to  give 
up  that  false  and  mistaken  prudence  for  the  voluntary  sentiments  of 
my  heart." 

Among  the  prominent  public  men  who  contributed  to  raise 
the  colored  regiments  was  Gerritt  Smith,  of  New  York,  who, 
too,  sent  the  Governor  a  check  for  five  hundred  dollars,  which 
was  indorsed  over  to  the  committee  of  citizens  intrusted  with 
the  superintendence  of  the  recruiting  for  these  regiments.  This 
contribution  is  noticeable  because  Mr.  Smith  had  devoted  his 
wealth  and  talents  for  years  in  the  interests  of  the  American 
Peace  Society. 


LETTER   TO    CAPTAIN    SHERMAN.  411 

While  our  Forty-eighth  Eegiment  was  in  the  Department  of 
the  Gulf,  Captain  Sherman,  of  Company  F,  wrote  to  the  Gov 
ernor  respecting  certain  officers  in  that  department,  whose  sym 
pathies,  if  judged  by  their  language,  were  on  the  side  of  the 
rebels.  On  the  fourth  day  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to 
Captain  Sherman  thanking  him  for  his  letter,  and  said,  - 

"I  well  understand  the  cry  of  every  honest  soldier,  and  his  scorn 
and  disgust  at  the  insidious  croakers,  in  the  midst  of  the  army,  who 
fight  feebly  with  their  hands,  while  they  sow  dissension  with  their 
mouths  ;  hireling  parasites,  feverish  for  the  ruin  of  the  country  which 
pays  them,  and  insolent  in  a  seemingly  temporary  success.  By  and  by, 
like  the  venomous  reptile  so  appropriately  the  symbol  of  the  most  bitter 
and  treasonable  secession  State,  they  will  bite  themselves  in  baffled 
rage,  and  die  with  their  own  poison.  ...  I  have  repeatedly  appointed 
men  with  conservative  antecedents  (for  I  ask  no  question  of  party  in 
military  appointments),  but  who,  being  men  of  honest  hearts  and  ear 
nest  minds,  exercised  upon  the  ideas  involved  in  a  great  crisis,  have 
emancipated  themselves  from  all  bondage  of  old  beliefs  and  preju 
dices,  and  have  cast  off  the  old  garments  which  the  whole  age  is  labor 
ing  to  throw  aside.  Others,  again,  I  have  appointed  of  Republican 
principles,  only  to  find  them  yield  feebly  at  first  trial,  unworthy  of  the 
free  principles  and  free  soil  which  nurtured  them.  I  believe,  however, 
that,  among  Massachusetts  officers,  such  views  and  remarks  as  you  have 
described  gain  little  hold,  and  that  those  holding  them  are  in  an  insig 
nificant  minority." 

On  the  tenth  day  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to  General 
Hamilton,  of  Texas,  then  at  Washington,  expressing  his  re 
grets  that  unavoidable  public  duties  would  prevent  his  meeting 
him  at  Washington,  that  he  might  stand  by  him  in  his  earnest 
efforts  to  save  Texas. 

"  I  would  do  so,"  he  says,  "  if  it  was  only  for  the  satisfaction  of  try 
ing,  and,  if  you  fail,  of  failing  with  you.  I  pray  you  to  give  my  hearty 
and  sympathetic  regards  to  Governor  Johnson,  of  Tennessee,  and 
assure  him  of  the  interest  with  which  we  of  Massachusetts  watch  for 
the  welfare  of  his  Union  friends,  and  for  his  own  personal  success  in. 
his  noble  career." 

Major  Burt  visited  Washington  on  his  return  from  Texas,  at 
the  request  of  the  Governor,  who  gave  him  a  letter  to  Secre 
tary  Stanton,  dated  Feb.  3,  in  which  he  urges  at  considerable 


412  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLIOX. 

length  the  importance  of  invading  Texas.  His  plan  was  to 
have  Matagorda  Bay  as  a  base,  and,  with  an  army  of  25,000 
men,  march  upon  Austin,  "  through  a  population  two  to  one  in 
favor  of  the  Union."  He  believed  a  respectable  portion  of  the 
nine  months'  troops  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf  would  re- 
enlist  for  three  years  for  an  expedition  of  this  kind.  He  advised 
that  General  Fremont  be  selected  to  command  it,  who  should 
carry  with  him  20,000  additional  stand  of  arms.  He  could 
enlist  more  Mexicans,  half-breeds,  and  Germans  on  his  way 
through  Texas  (to  say  nothing  of  loyal  native  Texans)  than 
any  other  man.  The  results  which  the  Governor  expected  would 
flow  from  the  expedition  were,  — 

1st,  It  would  benefit  the  morale  of  our  men  in  the  Gulf  De 
partment,  by  giving  them  active  employment. 

2d,  "  The  transformation  en  masse  of  many  nine  months'  regi 
ments  "  to  three  years'  regiments. 

3d,  The  immediate  relief  of  all  Western  Texas  from  the 
Confederacy. 

4th,  Five  thousand  mounted  men  could  be  recruited  on  the 
march  through  Texas. 

5th,  On  reaching  Austin,  we  could  take  control  of  the  State 
Government.  Then  Galveston  could  be  made  the  base,  and 
the  whole  country,  including  Trinity  Valley,  could  be  held. 

6th,  This  would  entirely  cut  off  all  contraband  trade  in  arms, 
supplies,  &c.,  by  the  Rio  Grande,  through  Texas  to  the  Red 
River  and  Shreveport. 

7th,  When  wholly  accomplished,  the  whole  blockading  squad 
ron  west  of  the  passes  of  the  Mississippi  would  be  relieved  from 
that  duty. 

These  points  were  elaborated  by  the  Governor,  and  enforced 
by  various  arguments  respecting  the  practicability  and  impor 
tance  of  the  enterprise.  Major  Burt,  who  was  conversant  with 
the  subject,  and  who  entered  fully  into  the  Governor's  views, 
was  to  confer  confidentially  with  Mr.  Stanton,  and  give  him  all 
the  information  he  possessed.  The  scheme,  however,  did  not 
meet  with  the  favor  of  the  Secretary.  He  was  opposed  to  it, 
and,  it  is  said,  treated  both  Major  Burt  and  the  suggestions  of 
the  Governor  with  a  degree  of  rudeness  altogether  unexpected. 


THE    EXPEDITION    TO    TEXAS.  413 

This,   however,   did    not    deter    the   Governor   from  making 
another  effort  for  the  invasion  of  Texas.     On  the  twenty-third 
day  of  March,  he  wrote  to  the  President  of  the  United  States, 
recapitulating  many  of  the  arguments  contained  in  the  letter 
addressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War.     He  said  that  many  of  the 
Massachusetts  nine  months'   regiments  in  the  Department  of 
the  Gulf  were  induced  to  enter  the   service    by  an  assurance 
given  them  in  good  faith,  that  they  were  to  be  led  into  Texas, 
allowed  to  redeem  that  section  of  the  country,  and  then,  without 
returning  to  their  homes,  be  joined  by  their  families  and  settle 
there.     He  had  appointed  Major  Burt  of  his  staff  to  go  with 
the  regiments  and  with  General  Hamilton,  military  Governor  of 
Texas,  to  look  after  the  interest  of  the  troops  in  the  expedition. 
To    the    great    disappointment    of   officers   and  men,   with  the 
exception    of   a    portion    of  the    Forty-second    Regiment,    the 
regiments  foiled  to  reach    Texas,  and  were    then    on    duty  in 
Louisiana.      Major  Burt,  who  had  returned  home,  was  person 
ally  acquainted  with  a  large  number  of  the  officers  and  men  from 
Massachusetts,  and  had  reported  to  him,  that,  notwithstanding 
their  disappointment,  many  of  the  regiments  would  re-enlist  for 
three  years  for  special  service  in  Texas.     He  had  the  same  in 
formation  from  other  reliable  sources  ;  and  he  therefore  requested 
that  the  President  would  cause  an  order  to  be  issued  in  regard 
to  the  Massachusetts  nine  months'  regiments  in  the  Department 
of  the  Gulf,  which  would  embrace  the  following  points  :  that 
the  re-enlistments  should  be  immediate  ;  that  the  transportation 
home,  to  which  they  were  entitled,  should  be  commuted  to  them 
in  money  as  an  extra  bounty  ;  that  they  should  go  immediately 
to  Texas  under  a  proper  commanding  general. 

The  movement  for  the  restoration  of  Texas  had  been  consid 
ered  by  the  Governor  for  nearly  a  year  and  a  half;  and  in  his 
judgment,  and  in  that  of  other  gentlemen  who  had  considered 
the  subject,  it  was  of  untold  importance.  He  believed  the  expe 
dition,  by  the  good  which  it  would  do  and  the  harm  which  it  would 
prevent,  would  be  of  as  much  value  as  any  expedition  of  five 
times  its  force  to  any  other  place.  It  would  cripple  the  rebels, 
cut  off  their  avenue  of  supplies,  would  flank  the  Rebellion,  in 
tercept  the  designs  of  foreign  powers  on  Mexico,  preserve  Texas 


414  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

to  freedom,  increase  its  value  hereafter  to  the  Union,  and  be  a 
brilliant  stroke  of  statesmanship,  executed  in  the  midst  of  war 
by  military  means  and  agencies.  These  arguments,  presented 
with  great  force,  failed  to  produce  a  favorable  response,  either 
from  the  President  or  the  Secretary.  The  capture  of  Vicksburg 
and  Port  Hudson,  a  few  months  afterwards,  by  which  the  Mis 
sissippi  River  was  opened,  were  at  that  time  objects  sought  to 
be  obtained  by  the  Government. 

As  the  climate  of  Louisiana  caused  a  great  amount  of  sickness 
among  the  Massachusetts  regiments  on  duty  in  that  State,  this 
doubtless  influenced  the  Governor  in  his  efforts  to  have  them 
removed  to  Texas.  The  reports  received  from  the  three  years' 
regiments  on  duty  there  presented  a  fearful  list  of  deaths,  and 
of  men  sick  in  hospitals  of  malaria  fever.  So  great,  indeed, 
was  the  fatality  from  this  cause,  that  the  Governor  wrote  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  in  March,  asking  that  the  regiments  of  Massa 
chusetts  troops  which  had  passed  the  preceding  summer  in  the 
Department  of  the  Gulf  might  be  replaced  by  others,  and  that 
they  be  brought  North,  as  two  successive  summers  there  might 
be  very  fatal  to  their  unacclimated  constitutions.  He  asked  this, 
not  as  a  favor  to  himself  or  State,  but  as  a  measure  of  humanity 
and  common  prudence. 

Accompanying  these  letters  was  a  report  which  had  been 
received  by  the  Surgeon-General  of  the  Commonwealth,  from 
Captain  Welles,  of  the  Thirtieth  Regiment,  which  contained  a 
very  full  and  interesting  account  of  the  sanitary  condition  of  that 
regiment,  and  expressed  fairly  the  condition  of  the  others. 
It  appears  by  Captain  Welles's  report,  that  at  times  not  more  than 
seventy  men  of  the  entire  command  were  free  from  sickness,  and 
entirely  well.  Feb.  15,  1863,  the  regiment  had  about  four 
hundred  men  left  for  light  duty,  out  of  more  than  one  thousand 
officers  and  men.  From  the  time  they  had  left  the  State, 
six  had  died  in  battle,  about  one  hundred  had  been  discharged, 
and  "  nearly  all  the  rest  have  died  of  fever  or  diseases  resulting 
from  fever.  Dr.  Soule  gives  us  to  the  first  of  June,  before  we 
shall  again  become  a  burden  to  the  service.  In  my  opinion,  if 
we  are  not  removed  to  some  station  free  from  malaria  before 
fall,  the  remnant  that  may  be  left  will  come  home  utterly 


THE    COAST   DEFENCES.  415 

broken  down."  Captain  Welles  also  said  that  "  a  great  deal  of 
sickness  might  have  been  avoided,  if  negroes  who  had  come 
within  our  lines  had  been  employed  as  soldiers,  as  they  wished 
to  be,  or  in  digging  ditches  and  making  roads  through  swamps, 
which  the  Northern  soldiers  had  been  employed  to  do.  " 

"  General  Williams,"  he  said,  "  returned  these  slaves  to  their  owners, 
who  undoubtedly  used  their  stout  arms  on  the  defences  of  Vicksburg, 
while  we  are  killing  white  men,  digging  canals  and  trenches  before 
Vicksburg." 

On  the  eighteenth  day  of  March,  the  Governor  telegraphed 
to  Senator  Sumner,  — 

"  I  earnestly  entreat  your  immediate  attention  to  mine  of  Feb.  1 2, 
about  war  steamers.  See  the  President  and  Fox,  to  whom  I  wrote 
same  date.  Nobody  answered.  Boston  is  very  earnest  and  solicitous. 
Can  we  do  any  thing  by  visiting  Washington  ?  " 

This  telegram  was  also  signed  by  Mr.  Lincoln,  Mayor  of 
Boston. 

On  the  twentieth  day  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to 
Edward  S.  Tobey  and  Samuel  H.  Walley,  — 

"I  have  yours  of  the  14th  inst,  and  I  assure  you  of  the  cordiality 
with  which  we  shall  endeavor  to  co-operate  with  our  citizens  and 
municipalities  in  defending  our  coast." 

He  also  refers  to  the  bill  for  coast  defences,  then  before  the 
Legislature,  which  he  had  no  doubt  would  pass,  appropriating  a 
million  and  a  half  of  dollars  for  that  object. 

On  the  twenty-third  day  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to 
George  T.  Downing,  a  well-known  and  highly  respected  colored 
citizen  of  New  York,  who  had  written  to  him  in  regard  to  the 
position  of  colored  men  who  might  enlist  in  the  volunteer 
service,  and  says,  — 

"  Their  position  in  respect  to  pay,  equipments,  bounty,  or  any  aid 
and  protection,  when  so  mustered,  will  be  precisely  the  same,  in  every 
particular,  as  that  of  any  and  all  other  volunteers.  When  I  was  in 
Washington  upon  one  occasion,  I  had  an  interview  with  Mr.  Stanton, 
Secretary  of  War ;  and  he  stated,  in  the  most  emphatic  manner,  that 


416  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLION. 

he  would  never  consent  that  colored  men  should  be  accepted  into  the 
service,  and  serve  as  soldiers  in  the  South,  until  he  should  be  assured 
that  the  Government  of  the  United  States  was  prepared  to  guarantee 
and  defend,  to  the  last  dollar  and  the  last  man,  to  these  men  all  the 
rights,  privileges,  and  immunities  that  are  given,  by  the  laws  of  civil 
ized  warfare,  to  other  soldiers." 

The  promise  here  made  by  the  Governor  in  regard  to  the  pay 
of  colored  troops  was  not  redeemed  by  the  Government.  For 
more  than  a  year  after  the  two  colored  regiments  had  left 
Massachusetts,  the  Government  refused  to  pay  them  the  same 
as  white  soldiers.  The  Legislature  of  the  State,  at  the  extra 
session  of  1863,  appropriated  money  to  make  up  the  deficiency, 
of  which  we  shall  speak  hereafter. 

On  the  twenty-third  day  of  March,  the  Governor  detailed  the 
Adjutant-General  to  visit  Washington  and  Fortress  Monroe,  to 
inquire  concerning  the  feasibility  of  procuring  men  of  color 
to  enlist  in  the  colored  regiments  of  Massachusetts.  At  this 
time,  there  were  a  great  number  of  contrabands  who  were  at 
those  two  points,  who  desired  to  come  North  and  enter  into  the 
service.  The  Adjutant-General  was  directed  to  confer  with 
the  military  authorities,  and  to  offer  to  colored  men  wishing  to 
enlist  the  State  bounty  of  fifty  dollars,  if  the  War  Department 
would  credit  the  men  to  the  contingent  of  the  State.  Upon 
arriving  at  Washington,  he  found  plenty  of  men  at  the  colored 
camp,  on  the  Virginia  side  of  the  Potomac,  who  were  willing  and 
anxious  to  come  North  and  enlist  in  our  regiments.  But  the 
War  Department  at  that  time  would  not  allow  it  to  be  done ; 
and  therefore  he  was  unsuccessful  in  his  mission. 

This  policy  was  afterwards  changed,  and  colored  men  were 
permitted  to  come  North  and  enlist  in  our  colored  regiments. 
Time  appeared  to  ripen  almost  every  scheme  of  policy  devised 
by  the  Governor,  and  cause  it  to  be  adopted,  to  the  healing  of 
the  nation. 

On  the  23d  of  March,  the  Grand  Division  of  the  Sons  of 
Temperance  forwarded  a  memorial  to  the  Governor,  setting 
forth  the  danger  to  which  soldiers  were  exposed  from  the 
use  of  intoxicating  drinks,  and  asking  him  to  "fix  his  seal 
of  condemnation  upon  the  example  of  drinking  officers."  To 


APPROPRIATION    OF   A   MILLION    OF   DOLLARS.  417 

which  the  Governor  replied  that  the  memorial  did  not  over 
estimate  the  importance  of  the  matter  to  which  it  related  ;  that 
the  consideration  of  it  was  not  a  new  thing ;  in  many  cases,  he 
had  gone  beyond  the  letter  of  the  law  in  his  endeavors  to  pre 
vent  such  men  from  being  commissioned ;  that  he  would  not 
knowingly  commission  a  person  so  offending.  It  was  his  desire 
to  have  the  soldiers  of  Massachusetts  surrounded  by  the  best 
influences  in  the  camp  and  in  the  field ;  and  that  he  would 
gladly  avail  himself  of  advice  given  by  respectable  parties  in 
the  selection  of  officers. 

On  the  28th  of  March,  he  wrote  to  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe, 
in  New  York,  to  recommend  to  the  consideration  of  General 
Ullman,  who  was  authorized  to  raise  a  colored  brigade  in  the 
South,  James  Miller,  of  Salem,  as  a  proper  person  to  receive 
a  commission.  He  was  then  serving  in  our  Fiftieth  Regiment, 
in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  "Mr.  Miller,"  he  says,  "is 
the  eldest  grandson  of  General  Miller,  of  the  war  of  1812, — 
the  hero  of  Lundy's  Lane." 

On  the  31st  of  March,  he  wrote  to  Colonel  Maggi,  command 
ing  our  Thirty-third  Regiment, — 

"  You  must  not  resign.  As  soon  as  our  Legislature  adjourns,  I  am 
intending  to  visit  Washington.  I  shall  then  do  my  utmost  for  your 
advancement.  I  want  you  to  secure  the  good  favor  of  General 
Hooker,  and  see  if  he  wants  help.  You  must  make  yourself  neces 
sary  to  him,  by  giving  him  to  know  your  capacity,  devotedness,  and 
zeal." 

Colonel  Maggi  had  resigned  before  the  letter  reached  him. 
His  discharge  from  the  service  was  dated  April  1,  1863. 

The  Legislature  having  passed  the  bill  appropriating  one 
million  of  dollars  to  be  expended,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Governor,  for  coast  defences,  on  the  first  of  April  he  dis 
patched  Colonel  Browne,  his  military  secretary,  to  Washington, 
to  confer  with  the  Secretary  of  War  on  the  subject,  and  to 
obtain  his  opinion  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the  money  could 
best  be  applied  to  secure  the  object  for  which  it  was  designed. 
He  says, — 

"  Mention  to  General  Totten  the  subject  of  revolving  turrets,  men 
tioned  by  the  committee  of  the  Boston  Marine  Society ;  and,  if  possi- 

27 


418  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

ble,  get  some  expression  of  the  views  of  other  gentlemen ;  also,  from 
General  Meigs,  if  possible,  touching  the  whole  question  of  the  best 
use  and  application  of  the  million  grant,  with  a  view  to  the  speediest 
and  most  efficient  service  to  be  rendered  by  such  an  expenditure." 

The  Massachusetts  Twenty-ninth  Regiment,  having  been 
ordered  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee,  received  a  very 
warm  and  cordial  reception  in  Cincinnati,  an  account  of  which 
was  transmitted  to  the  Governor  by  Mr.  Andrews,  superintend 
ent  of  the  Soldiers'  Home  in  that  city ;  to  which  the  Governor 
replied  on  the  1st  of  April,  in  which  he  says,  — 

"  I  trust,  as  you  suggest,  that  a  proper  State  pride  might  have  been 
gratified,  had  I  witnessed  the  march  of  the  Twenty-ninth  through 
Cincinnati.  But  the  pride  in  the  fact  that  they  were  Massachusetts 
men  could  have  no  proportion  to  the  pride  in  the  fact  that  they 
were  United  States  soldiers" 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  wrote  a  long  letter  to  the 
Secretary  of  War  in  regard  to  raising  a  colored  brigade  in 
North  Carolina,  which  could  be  easily  done  if  the  proper  man 
should  be  selected  to  organize  and  command  it.  "  It  needs 
a  man  of  soul  for  any  movement,  even  to  trundle  a  wheel 
barrow."  His  own  undertaking  to  raise  a  colored  regiment 
in  Massachusetts  "  was  begun  with  talking  with  you  about  North 
Carolina."  General  Foster,  in  command  in  that  State,  regarded 
favorably  the  formation  of  colored  troops.  The  Governor 
recommended  Brigadier-General  Frank  Barlow,  of  New  York, 
as  a  good  officer  to  detail  for  such  a  command.  It  appears  that 
Colonel  Edward  A.  Wilde,  of  the  Massachusetts  Thirty-fifth 
Regiment,  was  also  named  for  brigadier-general  of  colored 
troops  ;  and  that  the  subject  was  brought  to  the  attention  of 
Secretary  Stanton  by  Lieutenant-Colonel  Browne,  when  in 
Washington,  at  this  time ;  but  the  former  did  not  receive  the 
proposition  favorably,  as  we  find  by  a  letter  written  on  the  16th 
of  April  by  the  Governor  to  Secretary  Stanton,  which  com 
mences  as  follows  :  — 

"I  am  surprised  and  sorry  to  perceive,  by  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Browne's  report,  that  you  seem  to  have  regarded  me  as  trying  to 
force  upon  the  Government  a  new  brigadier-general,  and  that  you 
refuse  to  commission  Colonel  Wilde  as  a  brigadier-general  until  he 
shall  have  raised  a  colored  brigade  in  North  Carolina." 


LETTER   TO    PRESIDENT    LINCOLN.  419 

The  Governor  warmly  disclaims  any  such  intention.  He 
proposed  the  name  of  Colonel  Wilde  in  obedience  to  the  sug 
gestion  made  to  him  from  the  War  Department,  to  name  a 
suitable  person  for  such  a  position.  He  knew  of  no  one  to 
whom  the  trust  could  be  more  properly  committed.  He  was  of 
the  right  age  ;  a  graduate  of  Harvard  College  ;  a  physician  by 
profession.  His  first  military  experience  was  as  a  surgeon  in  the 
Crimea,  on  the  staff  of  Omar  Pacha.  He  raised  a  company  in 
the  beginning  of  the  war,  and  went  with  it  as  captain,  in  the 
First  Regiment  of  three  years'  men  from  Massachusetts.  He 
was  in  the  first  Bull-Run  fight,  and  in  all  the  battles  before 
Richmond,  in  one  of  which  he  was  severely  wounded.  As  col 
onel  of  the  Thirty-fifth  Regiment,  he  fought  at  South  Mountain 
and  Antietam,  where  he  lost  his  left  arm. 

The  letter  of  the  Governor  appears  to  have  been  satisfactory 
to  Mr.  Stan  ton,  as  Colonel  Wilde  was  commissioned  brigadier- 
general  April  24,  eight  days  after  it  was  written. 

The  defenceless  condition  of  Boston  Harbor  had  from  the  first 
attracted  the  serious  attention  of  the  Governor  and  of  the  com 
munity  generally.  The  seizure  of  our  merchant  vessels  upon 
the  high  seas  by  rebel  cruisers,  and  the  frequent  reports  of  the 
approach  of  the  "  Alabama  "  upon  our  coast,  contributed  im 
mensely  to  the  question  of  defence.  Hardly  a  month  had  elapsed 
since  the  war  begun  that  the  Governor  had  not  pressed  the  sub 
ject  upon  the  attention  of  the  Government.  The  Legislature  had 
appropriated  a  million  and  a  half  of  dollars  for  coast  defences, 
which  were  never  undertaken,  because  of  protests  of  the  War 
and  Navy  Departments  against  it,  claiming  that  it  would  inter 
fere  with  their  arrangements,  and  promising  to  supply  the  needed 
demand  from  the  available  resources  of  the  Government.  Noth 
ing,  however,  commensurate  to  the  necessities  of  the  case  was 
done. 

On  the  27th  of  April,  the  Governor  brought  the  matter  to 
the  personal  attention  of  the  President,  in  a  letter  of  several 
pages,  and  written  in  his  best  manner.  He  requested  the  Presi 
dent  to  "  consider  the  importance  of  detailing  immediately  an 
iron-clad  vessel  of  war  for  the  exclusive  duty  of  protecting  the 
harbors  on  the  Massachusetts  coast,  and  particularly  the  harbor 


420  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

of  Boston."  Within  gunshot  of  the  State  House,  he  said  there 
was  a  population  of  five  hundred  thousand  people,  and  an  amount 
of  private  property  of  an  assessed  value  of  five  hundred  millions 
of  dollars  ;  besides  which,  there  were  the  Custom  House,  the 
Sub-Treasury,  the  Navy  Yard,  and  the  Arsenal  at  Watertown, 
belonging  to  the  Federal  Government.  In  the  fortifications, 
built  by  the  Government  at  immense  outlay,  there  was  less  than 
one-fifth  of  proper  armament.  In  Fort  Warren  and  at  Castle 
Island  there  was  not  a  single  gun  of  more  than  eight-inch  cali 
bre,  and  those  poorly  mounted,  and  of  old  and  abandoned  pat 
terns.  Not  a  single  Federal  war-vessel  was  on  our  coast.  The 
officer  in  command  at  Fort  Warren  had  no  authority  to  detain 
or  examine  suspicious  vessels.  In  the  Vineyard  Sound,  where 
ninety  thousand  sail  of  vessels  annually  pass  Gay-Head  Light, 
there  was  no  protection  whatever.  A  swift  war-steamer,  like 
the  "  Alabama,"  might  run  into  Boston  Harbor  or  the  Vineyard 
Sound,  and  do  incalculable  mischief,  almost  without  molestation. 
New-York  Harbor  was  five  times  as  well  protected  as  Boston. 
For  these  and  other  reasons,  the  Governor  asked  the  President 
to  comply  with  his  request.  He  thought  that  he  had  a  right  to 
demand  the  protection  asked  for,  which  would  have  before  this 
been  furnished  by  the  State  itself,  but  for  the  protests  made  by 
the  Government.  A  copy  of  this  letter  was  sent  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Navy,  Postmaster-General  Blair,  Mr.  Sumner,  and 
others. 

On  the  second  day  of  May,  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  ac 
knowledged  the  receipt  of  the  letter,  and  said  he  had  not  at  his 
disposal  a  vessel  of  the  description  asked  for  that  could  be  spared 
from  present  service.  He  thought  that  a  vessel  best  adapted  to 
the  coast  defences  of  Massachusetts  and  New  England  would  be 
a  fast  cruiser  stationed  at  Boston,  and  always  prepared  for  ser 
vice.  Such  a  vessel,  besides  affording  security  to  Boston,  could 
proceed  to  any  scene  of  danger  on  the  coast  at  short  notice. 
An  iron-clad  vessel  might  be  of  more  real  service  in  the  harbor 
of  Boston  ;  but,  as  they  moved  slowly,  would  not  do  well  to 
cruise  in  the  bay  or  on  the  coast.  He  approved  of  the  Gov 
ernor's  suggestions,  made  through  Senator  Sumner,  and  prom 
ised  it  should  have  his  immediate  attention.  It  appears  from  a 


LETTER   FROM    LONDON.  421 

letter  written  by  Mr.  Blair,  the  Postmaster-General,  that  the 
President  referred  the  letter  received  by  him  to  General  Totten, 
who  made  a  report  upon  it  to  the  President,  which  was  read  to 
him  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Blair  ;  the  purport  of  which  was,  that 
big  guns  were  too  much  for  iron-clads,  which  Mr.  Blair  consid 
ered  "  all  stuff."  Mr.  Blair's  advice  to  the  Governor  was  to 
spend  a  million  dollars  in  obstructing  the  channels  to  Boston ; 
then  big  guns  could  be  brought  to  bear  on  iron-clads,  and  could 
sink  them. 

At  this  time,  fears  were  entertained  that  matters  might  be 
come  so  complicated  between  this  country  and  England  as  to 
bring  on  a  war  with  that  nation  ;  and  John  M.  Forbes,  who  was 
then  in  London,  wrote  a  letter  April  18,  upon  the  subject. 
He  said  it  was  his  opinion  that  it  would  take  but  little  to  bring 
on  another  excitement  similar  to  that  about  the  "  Trent ;  "  that 
the  British  Premier  would  be  likely  to  act  in  the  same  way,  — 
''try  to  get  British  pride  up  to  back  him,  and  then  insist  upon 
our  fighting  or  backing  down."  He  was  to  meet  Messrs.  Cob- 
den,  Bright,  and  Foster  at  Mr.  Adams's  the  next  day,  and 
should  probably  hear  something  more. 

"  Cobden  I  saw  yesterday.  He  is  going  to  speak  next  week,  and  I 
hope  will  speak  entirely  from  a  British  point  of  view,  showing  their 
interest  in  protecting  the  sea  from  privateers,  and  in  showing  good 
faith  as  to  fitting  out  expeditions.  What  havoc  another  Russian  war 
would  make  on  British  commerce  from  our  ports !  and  yet  these  slow 
coaches  do  not  see  it,  or  only  dimly.  It  needs  infinite  caution  and  firm 
ness  to  avoid  a  war  by  avoiding  further  irritation  ;  and  even  then  a 
spark  may  blow  it  up.  I  hope,  upon  the  information  before  sent,  you 
have  already  ordered  a  lot  of  Blakely  8^-inch  rifles.  I  expect  to  meet 
Blakely  to-morrow,  and  shall  get  some  light  perhaps." 

Mr.  Forbes  then  expresses  a  hope  that  the  American  people 
will  pursue  a  firm  but  quiet  course,  and  also  that  the  Governor 
would  have  two  iron  revolving  towers  across  the  Narrows,  and 
a  chain  with  hoisting  machinery  connecting  them. 

"  But  the  first  great  want  is  the  guns.  I  feel  the  danger  so  strongly, 
that  I  may  even  be  tempted  to  buy  some  as  samples.  The  enemy  are 
getting  them ;  and,  if  these  iron-clads  get  out,  nothing  but  these  guns 
and  obstructions  in  the  channels  will  save  Boston.  I  think  you  have 


422  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

about  three  months  before  the  iron-clads  get  out  after  this  reaches  you? 
before  the  danger  becomes  imminent ;  but  it  may  be  longer.  People 
here  base  great  hopes  on  Mr.  Cobden's  coming  speech." 

The  letter  of  Mr.  Forbes  undoubtedly  added  to  the  anxiety 
of  the  Governor  to  have  the  Government  place  the  harbor  of 
Boston  in  a  position  to  defend  the  city.  Colonel  Ritchie,  of  his 
personal  staff,  was  sent  to  Washington  to  confer  with  our  dele 
gation  in  Congress,  and  the  Navy  and  War  Departments,  and 
endeavor  to  bring  about  the  object  which  the  Governor  had  so 
much  at  heart.  A  large  portion  of  the  letters  written  by  the 
Governor  at  this  time  refer  to  this  important  matter.  We  are 
not  aware,  however,  that  any  immediate  steps  were  taken,  by 
the  Government,  to  place  the  harbor  of  Boston  in  a  secure  con 
dition,  although  the  forts  mounted  more  and  heavier  guns,  and, 
before  the  close  of  the  year,  were  completely  armed  in  the  best 
possible  manner. 

On  the  fifth  day  of  May,  the  Governor  wrote  to  John  M. 
Forbes  in  London,  giving  him  a  full  and  detailed  statement 
of  the  condition  of  our  harbor  defences,  the  appropriation  made 
by  the  Legislature,  and  the  promises  made  by  the  Govern 
ment.  On  the  subject  of  buying  Blakely  guns,  the  Governor 
says,  — 

"  The  prices  which  you  send  me,  aggravated  as  they  would  be  by  the 
cost  of  exchange  and  insurance,  are  too  extravagant,  according  to  my 
ideas,  to  justify  me  in  spending  a  million  dollars  in  that  way,  especially 
when  I  consider  the  possibility  of  their  transit  to  America  being  in 
terrupted  by  the  British  Government,  or  in  some  other  manner.  If 
it  were  ten  millions  I  had  to  spend,  I  might  willingly  devote  a  million 
or  two  to  that  purpose ;  but  it  is  evident  to  me  that  a  portion  of  the 
single  million  must  be  devoted  to  harbor  obstructions,  and  certainly 
two  or  three  hundred  thousand  dollars  from  the  remainder  ought  to  be 
held  in  reserve  for  the  erection  of  field  works,  or  any  like  labor  which 
a  certain  exigency  might  require.  I  therefore  abandon  the  idea  of 
devoting  any  part  of  this  million  dollars  to  importing  ordnance  from 
abroad.  In  this  opinion  I  am  confirmed  by  every  officer  with  whom  I 
have  consulted." 

It  will  be  seen,  however,  that  the  pressure  of  causes  forced 
the  Governor  to  change  his  opinion. 


LETTER  TO  A  REBEL  CAPTAIN.  423 

We  find  on  the  Governor's  files  a  letter  dated  Atlanta, 
Ga.,  April  10,  1863,  signed  Henry  Shelby,  and  directed 
to  his  brother,  Captain  William  Shelby,  Co.  B,  Second  Regi 
ment,  Georgia  Infantry,  C.S.A.,  on  which  is  endorsed  by 
Colonel  Browne,  "  The  within  is  a  copy  of  an  original  letter 
taken  in  the  engagement  at  Chancellors ville,  by  a  sergeant  in 
an  Ohio  regiment."  This  letter  gives  an  account  of  a  visit  to 
Atlanta  by  Jefferson  Davis,  and  of  a  conversation  held  by  him 
in  regard  to  the  "  Alabama  "  visiting  Boston.  A  portion  of  the 
letter  is  too  vulgar  to  quote.  It  says,  — 

"President  Davis  was  here  a  few  days  ago,  and  said  that  the 
'  Alabama,'  with  four  others  that  will  be  dreaded  as  much  as  she  has 
been,  will  make  the  Yankees  a  call  some  time  in  June,  at  Boston  or 
Portland ;  and  won't  they  shell  out  ?  Davis  said  the  forts  might  try 
to  play  ball  a  little,  but  they  are  so  fast  sailers  they  could  not  hurt 
them  much.  Won't  Governor  Andrew  look  as  black  as  some  of  his 
Southern  friends,  when  one  of  our  big  shells  just  bids  him  good-morn 
ing  in  the  State  House.  Then  Boston  people  can  see  how  good  it  is 
to  have  their  homes  destroyed ;  for,  before  they  can  get  out  any  thing 
at  the  Navy  Yard,  we  can  knock  them.  Any  way,  how  I  should  like 
to  see  the  fun !  Now,  William,  after  you  have  read  this,  burn  it  up ; 
don't  tell  any  one  what  is  in  it,  as  the  visit  must  be  kept  a  secret,  as  it 
would  be  rather  tough  to  have  them  know  of  it.  Davis  said  it  must 
not  be  known,  as  they  could  run  off  in  disguise,  and  come  on  in  a 
hurry.  Don't  put  it  in  your  pocket,  as  you  might  forget  it.  Are  you 
all  right  to  give  it  to  Hooker's  Yankee  mob  ?  We  hope  to  hear  a  good 
account  soon  from  you.  Your  family  are  all  well." 

There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  genuineness  of  this  letter,  and 
that  it  was  contemplated  by  the  Confederate  Government  to 
have  Semmes  and  his  associate  pirates  make  a  dash  upon  Boston 
or  Portland,  and  damage  the  "Yankees"  as  much  as  possible. 
But  in  this  case,  as  in  many  others,  discretion  became  the  better 
part  of  valor. 

On  the  twenty-third  day  of  May,  Robert  C.  Winthrop,  of 
Boston,  inclosed  a  letter  to  the  Governor,  which  he  had  re 
ceived  from  the  American  consul  at  Malta,  a  kinsman  of  his, 
giving  information  in  regard  to  a  portion  of  the  British  fleet 
stationed  at  that  port,  that  had  been  ordered  to  Halifax  ;  and, 
should  a  war  occur  between  America  and  England,  the  first 


424  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

point  of  attack  would  be  Portland,  the  second  Boston,  and  the 
third  Newport,  so  far  as  the  Northern  States  were  concerned,  and 
he  should  be  glad  if  the  Governors  of  the  New-England  States 
were  informed  of  the  danger  which  threatened  them.  The 
letter  contained  much  information  which  was  of  interest  at  the 
time,  and  would  have  been  invaluable  in  case  of  a  war  between 
the  two  nations.  The  letter  which  Mr.  Winthrop  forwarded  to 
the  Governor  was  a  copy  of  one  the  consul  had  written  to  Mr. 
Seward,  Secretary  of  State. 

On  the  28th  of  May,  an  order  was  passed  by  the  Executive 
Council  that  the  sum  of  $250,000  of  the  million  appropriation 
for  coast  defences  be  set  apart  for  the  procurement,  for  the 
defence  of  the  coast  of  Massachusetts,  of  as  many  Blakely  and 
Whitworth  guns,  or  others  of  similar  capacity  and  quality,  as 
could  be  obtained  during  the  next  four  months,  and  that  an 
agent  be  appointed  to  visit  Europe  to  purchase  them. 

The  Governor  requested  Colonel  Ritchie,  of  his  personal  staff, 
to  accept  the  appointment  of  agent ;  but  private  business  en 
gagements  would  not  permit  of  it  at  that  time.  Some  con 
tracts  were  made  by  Mr.  Forbes  in  London.  Colonel  Ritchie, 
having  arranged  his  business,  accepted  the  appointment  in 
August,  and  early  in  September  sailed  for  England  to  pur 
chase  ordnance.  His  experience  abroad,  and  the  success  of  his 
mission,  forms  one  of  the  most  interesting  episodes  in  the  war 
history  of  Massachusetts,  as  we  shall  show  hereafter,  and  for 
the  present  pass  to  other  matters. 

In  the  preceding  pages,  we  have  brought  the  correspondence 
of  the  Governor  dowrn  to  July  1,  1863.  Not  that  we  have  given 
any  thing  approaching  a  full  record  of  it :  that  would  be  im 
possible  in  a  publication  like  this.  We  have  given  only  those 
relating  to  matters  of  general  interest,  which  we  have  abridged 
from  seven  volumes,  each  containing  upwards  of  four  hundred 
letters,  and  which  relate  to  every  conceivable  subject  connected 
with  the  war,  and  the  civil  policy  of  the  State.  In  the  Adju 
tant-General's  office,  an  equal  number  were  written,  of  which 
we  can  refer  only  to  a  few,  to  illustrate  some  of  the  difficulties 
against  which  the  State  officers  had  to  contend. 

On  the  12th  of  January,  the  Adjutant-General,  by  direction 


LETTER   TO   MR.    GOOCH.  425 

of  the  Governor,  wrote  to  Mr.  Gooch,  member  of  Congress, 
calling  his  attention  to  the  case  of  David  E.  Goodfellow,  an 
enlisted  man  in  the  Twenty-first  Regiment,  who  had  served  under 
General  Burnside  in  the  capture  of  Roanoke  Island,  Beaufort, 
and  Newbern,  N.C.  In  January,  1862,  he  had  been  detailed  by 
General  Burnside  to  help  lay  a  railroad-track  at  Annapolis,  Md., 
a  business  which  he  was  acquainted  with.  He  remained  faith 
ful  to  his  duty  until  he  was  prostrated  with  a  fever,  and  re 
ceived  a  furlough  to  come  home  from  Mr.  Goddard,  who  had 
charge  of  the  Government  work.  On  his  recovery,  he  at  once 
reported  at  the  State  House,  and  asked  for  transportation  back 
to  his  post.  The  Adjutant- General  sent  him  to  Colonel  Day, 
U.S.A.,  who  had  authority  to  furnish  transportation.  Colonel 
Day  refused  it,  on  the  ground  that  Mr.  Goddard's  furlough 
"was  no  sufficient  authority  for  the  man's  absence."  Captain 
McKim,  the  United-States  Quartermaster  in  Boston,  also 
declined  to  furnish  transportation.  The  State  had  neither 
authority  nor  funds.  The  Adjutant- General  said,  — 

"  We  have  no  means  of  sending  him  on  unless  we  take  the  money 
out  of  our  own  pockets  ;  '  a  thing  we  have  become  so  used  to,  that  it  is 
difficult  now  to  repeat.'  The  man  is  well-behaved,  intelligent,  and 
smart,  a  citizen  of  Fitchburg,  and  is  anxious  to  get  back  to  his  duty. 
This  is  only  one  of  many  cases  which  occur  almost  daily :  shall  it 
continue  for  ever  ?  The  man  cannot  get  back  without  transportation, 
is  willing  to  Lave  it  deducted  from  his  pay,  and,  although  he  has  not 
been  paid  for  ten  months,  utters  no  complaint." 

The  Adjutant-General  disclaimed  any  wish  to  say  a  word  dis 
paragingly  of  Colonel  Day. 

"  He  is  an  old  officer  of  the  army ;  but  he  does  not  understand  our 
people,  and  is  too  aged  to  learn.  He  will  do  nothing  that  is  not  in  the 
*  regulations.'  Cannot  some  discretionary  power  be  given,  or  are  we 
to  '  die  daily,'  like  St.  Paul,  by  this  adherence  to  the  old  rules,  made 
when  the  army  of  the  United  States  did  not  number  as  many  men  as 
the  county  of  Middlesex  has  sent  to  this  war.  Goodfellow  is  now  at 
the  Hancock  House  at  the  expense  of  the  Commonwealth.  He 
had  either  to  go  there  or  sleep  all  night  in  the  Tombs  or  police 
station.  It  is  this  utter  disregard  of  the  rights  and  amenities  of  brave 
and  patriotic  men  that  is  sapping  to  its  roots  the  tree  of  patriotism, 


426  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

and  making  recruiting  almost  an  impossibility.  Please  show  this  letter 
to  Senator  Wilson  and  such  of  your  colleagues  as  you  may  think  best, 
and  let  me  hear  from  you  as  soon  as  possible." 

Many  of  the  authorities  of  the  cities  and  towns  will  never 
forget  the  repulses  which  they  met,  and  the  vexations  they  un 
derwent  in  recruiting,  during  the  time  Colonel  Day  repre 
sented  the  military  authorities  of  the  nation  at  this  post.  And 
yet  he  was  an  honest  and  brave  officer ;  but  he  was  wholly  un 
used  to  transact  business,  except  as  specified  in  general  orders 
and  army  regulations.  Goodfellow  finally  reached  his  regiment 
by  transportation  furnished  by  orders  from  Washington.  We 
give  this  case  as  one  of  a  class. 

Here  is  another  class  of  cases,  of  which  there  were  a  great 
number  :  — 

"  To  His  EXCELLENCY. 

"  The  case  of  George  M.  Dixon  is  this  :  He  enlisted  in  the  Tenth 
Battery  (Captain  Sleeper)  on  the  16th  of  August,  and  was  sent  to 
camp,  where  he  remained  until  the  9th  of  September,  when  he  was 
mustered  into  service.  He  has  been  paid  from  the  time  of  muster  in, 
but  has  received  nothing  for  the  one  month  (lacking  five  days)  he  was 
in  camp  previous  to  that  time.  It  is  for  this  time  that  he  claims  pay  ; 
but  as  no  provision  of  law,  and  no  appropriation  of  money,  has  been 
made  to  meet  such  cases,  I  do  not  see  how  he  can  be  paid.  There  are 
thousands  of  cases  existing  similar  to  this.  I  think,  if  a  gratuity  of 
ten  or  fifteen  dollars  was  made  to  him,  he  would  be  satisfied.  He  is  a 
painter  by  trade,  and  can  get  work ;  but  he  is  not  well  enough  to  work 
at  present.  While  I  was  writing  the  above,  Mrs.  Abbott,  of  East  Bos 
ton,  came  to  see  me  on  a  case  precisely  similar.  Her  husband  is  in 
the  Tenth  Battery.  He  enlisted  on  the  1 6th  of  August,  and  was  mus 
tered  in  on  the  9th  of  September.  Mrs.  Abbott  has  three  children, 
and  has  received  no  money  since  the  battery  left  the  State.  I  think 
her  case  is  as  deserving  as  the  other,  the  facts  being  the  same." 

In  January,  1863,  the  Governor  was  in  Washington.  The 
following  paragraph  appears  in  a  letter  addressed  to  him  on 
other  matters  :  — 

"  There  is  nothing  new  here  that  requires  mention.  Every  thing,  I 
believe,  is  progressing  in  the  right  direction.  '  Camp  Day '  (North 
Cambridge)  was  broken  up  yesterday,  and  the  recruits  transferred  to 


LETTER    ABOUT    RECRUITING    OFFICERS.  427 

Fort  Independence,  which,  I  understand,  will  hereafter  be  the  rendez 
vous  for  recruits  for  old  regiments.  If  we  could  only  have  some  ener 
getic  person  appointed  at  the  head  of  the  recruiting  service,  and  have 
two-thirds  of  the  officers  now  here,  ostensibly  on  recruiting  duty,  sent 
back  to  their  regiments,  the  service  would  be  benefited.  It  is  a  great 
eyesore  to  me  to  see  so  many  young  officers  here  on  '  recruiting  ser 
vice,'  but,  in  fact,  doing  nothing  of  the  least  use  to  the  country  or  of 
advantage  to  themselves." 

On  the  2d  of  February,  the  Adjutant-General  wrote  a  letter 
to  Major-General  Wool,  commanding  the  Eastern  Department, 
with  headquarters  at  New  York,  calling  his  attention  to  the 
matters  complained  of  in  the  extract  given  above.  The  letter 
sets  forth  that  there  were  in  Boston  about  thirty  commissioned  offi 
cers  detailed  from  their  regiments  on  recruiting  service  here,  and 
twice  that  number  of  enlisted  men  acting  as  orderlies  ;  all  of 
whom,  with  the  exception  of  half  a  dozen  who  were  unfit  for 
field  service  on  account  of  wounds,  he  thought  should  be  sent 
to  their  regiments.  They  were  of  no  use  here  ;  they  did  not,  on 
an  average,  recruit  one  man  a  day.  Some  of  them,  he  feared, 
were  not  anxious  on  the  subject. 

"  I  am  sure,  however,  that  a  majority  of  the  able-bodied  officers  are 
anxious  to  join  their  commands.  They  are  weary  of  staying  here 
doing  nothing.  They  have  asked  to  be  relieved  ;  but  their  request  is 
denied  them,  and  here  they  remain,  although  conscious  they  are  doing 
no  good  whatever  to  their  regiments  or  their  country.  I  know  of  one 
first  lieutenant,  a  smart,  active,  good  officer,  who  has  been  here  nearly 
six  months  recruiting  for  his  regiment  (the  Thirtieth),  stationed  at 
New  Orleans,  who  has  not  in  that  whole  time  sent  a  single  recruit  to 
the  regiment,  and  has  not  one  now  to  send  to  it.  What,  then,  is  the  use 
of  his  staying  here  ?  His  regiment  is  in  want  of  officers  :  why  not 
send  him  to  it  ?  He  wants  to  go.  His  case  is  not  an  isolated  one." 

What  was  wanted,  he  said,  was  a  concentrated,  energetic 
system.  Recruiting  for  the  old  regiments  was  done  chiefly  in 
Boston.  There  should  be  one  general  headquarters  for  recruit 
ing  in  the  city,  and  one  officer  at  the  head  of  it,  "who  knows 
our  people,  and  whom  our  people  know."  He  deprecated  hav 
ing  so  many  officers  here,  each  having  his  orderlies  and  paying 
rent  for  thirty  different  offices,  when  one  man  and  one  office 


428  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION . 

would  be  far  more  efficient.  He  presumed  the  same  state  of 
facts  existed  elsewhere ;  but  in  this  little  State  the  evils  com 
plained  of  were  more  early  seen  and  deeply  felt. 

"  So  many  officers  seen  in  our  streets  and  places  of  public  amuse 
ment  make  our  people  who  have  sons  and  husbands  in  the  field,  ask 
what  are  these  officers  doing  here  ?  why  are  they  not  with  their  regi 
ments  ?  I  tell  you,  general,  that  the  effect  is  all  bad,  and  the  system  is 
all  wrong." 

On  this  letter  the  Governor  indorsed,  "  Read  and  cordially 
approved  by  me."  The  system  complained  of  was  afterwards 
corrected  ;  and,  in  a  degree,  the  recommendations  of  the  Adju 
tant-General  were  adopted. 

We  insert  a  letter  which  bears  upon  another  class  of  cases. 
Ferdinand  Fillmore,  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment,  was  reported  a 
deserter.  He  was  in  Boston,  and  had  written  to  his  captain  for 
a  descriptive  list,  that  he  might  get  his  monthly  pay,  of  which 
he  was  in  great  need.  The  captain  refused  to  send  it,  on  the 
ground  that  the  man  was  a  deserter ;  to  which  the  Adjutant- 
General  replied,  — 

"  The  man  is  no  deserter.  He  was  sent  from  Fortress  Monroe  to 
New  York.  You  say  he  was  to  go  to  Alexandria ;  but  the  poor  fellow 
had  to  go  on  the  vessel  he  was  ordered  to,  and  he  had  to  go  to  such 
port  as  the  vessel  took  him  to,  and  that  was  to  New  York.  He  was 
there  in  hospital  two  months.  He  wanted  to  join  his  regiment  when 
he  got  better  ;  but  the  officer  in  command  would  not  let  him,  but  gave 
him  a  discharge  from  the  service  on  surgeon's  certificate  of  disability, 
which  he  now  has,  and  I  have  it  before  me  as  I  write.  The  man  is 
poor,  and  in  feeble  health.  The  United-States  Government  owes  him 
two  months'  pay,  which  he  cannot  get  until  he  has  his  descriptive  list 
from  you  ;  I  pray  you  to  send  it  on.  I  am  as  anxious  to  return  deserters 
as  you  can  possibly  be,  and  probably  exert  myself  to  send  them  back 
as  much  as  any  one ;  but  this  man  is  not  a  deserter,  and  should  not 
be  so  regarded." 

March  3.  —To  William  D.  Northend,  Salem  :  — 

"  You  ask  if  an  inhabitant  of  Salem  goes  directly  to  Virginia,  and 
there  enlists,  and  is  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  in 
the  Massachusetts  Second  Regiment,  can  he  be  considered  a  part  of  the 
quota  of  Massachusetts,  so  that  his  family  can  receive  the  State  aid  ? 
I  answer,  most  unequivocally,  yes" 


COMPLAINTS    MADE.  429 

Brigadier-General  Humphries,  U.S.A.,  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac,  wished  Governor  Andrew  to  commission  Mr.  Edward  C. 
Rice,  of  Framingham,  that  he  might  appoint  him  on  his  staff. 
There  was  no  place  for  him  in  the  three  years'  regiments.  The 
Governor  referred  the  matter  to  the  Adjutant-General,  who  re 
plied,  — 

"  I  presume  that  a  staff  appointment  by  one  of  our  militia  brigadier- 
generals  would  answer  the  purpose.  It  did  in  the  case  of  Colonel 
T.  Bigelow  Lawrence,  who  received  an  appointment  upon  the  staff  of 
General  McDowell,  upon  a  commission  which  he  held  as  an  officer  on 
the  staff  of  Major- General  Sutton,  Second  Division  M.V.M.  There 
are  four  vacancies  in  the  staff  of  Brigadier-General  Peirce :  if  he  will 
appoint  Mr.  Rice,  I  believe  it  will  accomplish  the  purpose  sought  for 
by  General  Humphries." 

And  it  did. 

A  colonel  in  a  Massachusetts  regiment  having  written  to  the 
Governor  that  "great  trouble  had  arisen,"  and  officers  had  lost 
their  pay,  because  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  State  delayed 
forwarding  the  commissions  when  made  out,  the  letter  was 
referred  by  the  Governor  to  the  Adjutant-General,  who  replied, 
that  all  commissions  were  immediately  transmitted  to  the  Adju 
tant-General  of  the  army,  to  correct  his  roster  by,  and  were  by 
him  transmitted  to  their  proper  destination.  If  there  had  been 
any  delay,  it  must  have  been  in  that  office,  not  here.  The  let 
ter  concludes  :  — 

"  I  do  not  suppose  that  any  colonel  of  a  Massachusetts  regiment 
would  state  what  he  did  not  believe  to  be  true  ;  and  I  did  not  suppose 
there  was  one  who  would  make  complaint  against  a  public  officer  until 
he  had  ascertained  that  there  was  just  cause.  Now,  may  it  please 
your  Excellency,  whoever  the  officer  may  be  who  has  made  this  com 
plaint,  I  will  say,  without  fear  of  contradiction,  that  he  has  spoken  of 
what  he  has  no  knowledge  of,  and  has  made  a  charge  which  has  not  a 
shadow  of  foundation  on  which  to  stand." 

A  very  large  number  of  letters  were  written  in  answer  to 
questions  put  by  the  city  and  town  authorities,  in  regard  to  the 
payment  of  State  aid  to  soldiers'  families.  The  rule  was  almost 
general,  on  the  part  of  those  gentlemen,  to  construe  the  law 
liberally  ;  a  few  only  interposed  technical  objections,  and  were 


430  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

over-prudent  in  the  dispensation  of  this  wise  and  humane  relief. 
One  of  the  selectmen  wrote  to  ascertain  the  town  to  which  a 
soldier  was  credited,  without  giving  the  number  of  the  regiment 
in  which  the  soldier  was  serving.  The  Adjutant-General  wrote 
for  this  information.  The  question  at  issue  was,  which  of  two 
towns  should  pay  the  family  the  State  aid.  The  law  was  clear 
upon  the  point,  that  the  town  in  which  the  family  resided 
should  pay  it,  if  the  family  needed  it.  Another  letter  came, 
the  purport  of  which  may  be  learned  from  the  concluding  para 
graph  of  the  Adjutant-General's  answer  :  — 

"  Instead  of  answering  my  question,  and  informing  me  of  the  num 
ber  of  the  regiment  to  which  the  man  belongs,  you  write  to  me,  under 
date  of  April  1,  in  terms  not  over-courteous,  '  that  it  is  my  duty  to 
decide  whether  this  town  shall  look  after  this  family.'  With  all  due 
respect,. permit  me  to  say  that  it  is  no  part  of  my  duty  to  decide  any 
such  question.  If  it  were,  I  should  take  good  care  that  the  wife  and 
family  of  a  poor  soldier  did  not  suffer  from  quarrels,  or  from  an  over 
desire  to  throw  off  the  duty  of  paying  the  State  aid  by  narrow  points 
of  dispute  between  town  authorities." 

Some  of  the  nine  months'  regiments  had  been  absent  from 
the  State  but  a  few  months,  when  some  of  the  officers  and  en 
listed  men  began  writing  home  to  ascertain  when  their  time 
would  expire.  Some  of  the  companies  had  been  mustered  in 
several  weeks  before  others  ;  and  the  question  raised  was,  did 
the  time  begin  when  the  first  company  or  the  last  company 
was  mustered ;  or  was  each  company  to  be  mustered  out  in  nine 
months  from  the  date  of  muster-in.  One  of  these  letters  came 
to  J.  H.  Mitchell,  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Senate,  who 
referred  it  to  the  Adjutant- General  for  his  opinion,  which  was 
that  the  term  of  service  began  from  the  time  that  the  regiment 
was  completed  and  organized.  This  answer  was  sent  to  North 
Carolina ;  but  it  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  officer  who  made 
the  inquiry,  who  wrote  again  to  Mr.  Mitchell;  this  letter  was 
also  referred  to  the  Adjutant-General,  who  answered  it  at  length, 
lie  said,  — 

"  The  officer  thinks  my  rule  is  unjust,  because  some  companies  of 
the  regiment  have  been  mustered  in  sooner  than  others,  and  therefore 
the  term  should  commence  by  companies,  and  not  as  a  regiment.  Such 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  431 

a  rule  would  be  an  absurdity.  Whoever  heard  of  a  regiment  being  dis 
charged  by  companies  ?  Toward  the  end  of  the  service,  if  such  a  rule 
prevailed,  the  regiment  would  only  have  one  company,  and,  when  its 
term  was  up,  the  field  and  staff  would  be  left  alone  in  their  glory,  with 
out  any  command;  and  if  each  company  were  to  step  out  by  itself, 
and  be  sent  home,  the  Government  would  be  under  the  necessity  of 
finding  ten  transports  to  send  men  back,  or  else  the  companies  would 
have  to  remain  where  they  were,  without  rations  and  without  pay, 
until  the  entire  regiment  had  reached  its  tenth  death. 

"  It  is  true  that  some  companies  are  formed  and  mustered  in  before 
others  ;  but  in  making  regiments,  there  must  be  a  beginning  and  an 
ending,  and  this  applies  to  companies  as  well  as  to  regiments,  for 
there  is  always  a  first  man  and  a  last  man  in  a  company.  Why  not 
apply  the  same  rule  to  the  term  of  service  of  men  in  a  company,  and 
let  the  first  who  enlisted  be  the  first  to  be  discharged  ? 

"  But  to  conclude :  The  companies  which  are  first  mustered  in  have 
their  pay  begin  first,  which  should  satisfy  the  men;  and  I -have  no 
doubt  that  it  does. 

"  Lastly,  the  terms  of  service  of  the  nine  months'  men  are  precisely 
the  same  as  fixed  for  the  three  years'  men.  The  term  of  service  of 
the  three  years'  men  begins  when  the  regiment  is  completed ;  and  the 
propriety  of  it  has  never,  to  my  knowledge,  been  questioned  by  either 
officers  or  men.  It  is  only  by  a  few  gentlemen  in  the  nine  months' 
service  that  the  question  has  been  raised." 

This  question  continued  to  be  pressed ;  and  the  Adjutant- 
General  —  though  satisfied  that  his  decision  was  in  accordance 
with  common  sense,  the  rules  of  the  Department  at  Washing 
ton  ,  and  the  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth  —  submitted  the 
question  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  whose  decision 
was,  that  the  term  of  service  of  a  regiment  commenced  "from 
date  of  muster-in  of  the  last  company ; "  which  was  the  same 
as  that  given  by  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  State,  only  differ 
ently  expressed. 

Another  class  of  cases  upon  which  decisions  were  made  by 
the  Adjutant-General,  were  of  men  who  had  expended  time 
to  recruit  companies  for  the  war,  expecting  to  obtain  commis 
sions,  but  who  failed  to  enlist  a  sufficient  number  of  men  to 
entitle  them  to  the  honor,  or  to  enable  the  Governor  to  commis 
sion  them.  A  great  many  of  this  class  of  persons  petitioned 


432  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

the  Legislature  of  1863  for  payment  for  the  services  which 
they  had  rendered.  Many  of  these  gentlemen's  claims  were 
proper :  they  had  expended  time  and  money  to  achieve  their 
purpose,  which  was  patriotic  and  honorable.  There  were  others 
whose  demands  had  no  such  solid  base  :  among  these  was  a 
captain  in  the  militia  service,  whose  company  had,  though 
small,  volunteered  in  a  body  for  the  service.  It  did  not  ap 
pear  that  he  enlisted  any  one.  The  colonel  of  the  regiment 
into  which  this  company  was  put  reported  to  headquarters  that 
this  captain  was  not  a  fit  person  to  command  the  company  ;  and 
another  gentleman,  after  the  company  was  filled,  was  commis 
sioned  captain.  The  person  holding  the  militia  commission 
petitioned  the  Legislature  for  pay  in  recruiting  the  men  who 
originally  belonged  to  his  company.  This  petition  was  referred 
to  the  Committee  on  Military  Claims  ;  and  that  committee,  as  in 
all  other  cases,  referred  it  to  the  Adjutant-General  for  his  con 
sideration  and  report.  The  report  of  the  Adjutant-General 
upon  the  subject  stated  the  facts  of  the  case  as  above  recited, 
and  concluded  as  follows  :  — 

"  Of  the  merits  of  this  claim  I  have  no  right  to  express  an  opinion 
The  facts  are  as  I  have  stated.  During  these  two  years  of  war,  very 
many  cases  have  come  under  my  observation  of  patriotic  devotion  to 
cause  and  country,  and  of  sacrifices  made  without  expectation  of  a 

money  reward,  of  which  Captain 's  case  presents  no  approach.  I 

know  a  respectable  widow  lady  living  in  Harrison  Avenue,  whose  five 
sons  went  out  as  privates  in  our  regiments,  two  of  whom  have  been 
killed,  one  severely  wounded  at  Antietam  ;  and  when  she  came  to  see 
me,  shortly  after  the  battle,  for  assistance  and  direction  to  visit  her  son 
in  the  hospital,  she  did  it  with  so  much  modesty  that  a  stranger  would 
have  thought  she  was  asking  a  great  boon. 

"  In  one-half  the  households  in  Massachusetts,  more  suffering  and 
sacrifices  have  been  made  in  this  war  than  have  been  made  by  Captain 

— ,  or  a  majority  of  the  men  who  come  to  the  Legislature  to  get 
pay  for  some  little  camp  duty,  or  get  money  because  they  failed  to  ob 
tain  a  commission  which  they  were  not  half  as  well  qualified  to  hold 
as  one-half  the  men  who  have  been  serving  in  the  ranks  of  Massachu 
setts  regiments,  from  Autietam  to  Baton  Rouge,  during  the  last  twenty 
mouths,  at  thirteen  dollars  a  month.  Pardon  me  for  entering  upon  a 
subject  of  which  my  heart  is  full." 


MILITARY    CLAIMS.  433 

The  captain  did  not  get  what  he  asked  for. 

As  a  contrast  to  the  foregoing  case,  a  petition  was  presented 
to  the  Legislature  by  Mr.  Seth  T.  Maxwell,  of  Charlemont, 
for  payment  of  expenses  incurred  by  him  in  trying  to  raise  a 
company  of  sharpshooters  in  the  western  part  of  the  State, 
which  was  also  referred  to  the  Adjutant-General  by  the  Com 
mittee  on  Military  Claims,  who  reported,  substantially,  that  on 
representations  made  in  November,  1861,  by  Mr.  Maxwell,  of 
Charlemont,  and  Mr.  Winn,  of  Greenfield,  then  acting  as 
assistant  Attorney-General  of  the  State,  authority  was  given  by 
the  Governor,  Dec.  4,  to  Mr.  Maxwell,  F.  M.  Thompson,  of 
Greenfield,  and  Alvin  P.  Nelson,  of  Colerain,  to  raise  a  com 
pany  of  sharpshooters  in  the  western  counties  of  the  Common 
wealth  for  three  years'  service.  It  was  stated  in  the  authority 
given,  that  "  the  company,  if  recruited  to  ninety-eight  enlisted 
men  on  or  before  Dec.  20,  will  be  accepted,  and  pay  and  rations 
will  then  commence."  The  company  was  not  raised  in  the  time 
named,  and  Mr.  Maxwell  asked  for  an  extension,  which  was 
granted.  It  was  the  intention  of  the  Governor  to  attach  this 
company  either  to  the  Tenth  or  Twenty-seventh  regiments 
(they  being  western  counties'  regiments),  as  the  First  Company 
of  Sharpshooters  had  been  attached  to  the  Fifteenth,  and  the 
Second  Company  to  the  Twenty-second  Regiment.  On  the 
fourth  day  of  January,  1862,  Mr.  Maxwell  wrote  to  the  Adju 
tant-General  that  he  had  enlisted  fifty-seven  men,  that  he  did 
not  get  along  with  the  rapidity  he  expected,  and,  as  he  would 
take  only  those  men  who  were  good  shots,  he  had  greater  diffi 
culties  to  overcome  than  persons  engaged  in  ordinary  recruiting. 
He  expected,  however,  "  to  have  a  full  company  before  long." 
In  the  mean  while,  application  had  been  made  to  the  War  De 
partment  to  have  this  company  attached  to  the  Tenth  Regiment, 
as  Colonel  Briggs  was  very  anxious  to  have  it ;  but,  after  a 
long  delay,  permission  was  refused.  In  the  middle  of  February, 
1862,  the  Adjutant-General  went  to  Washington  on  business, 
and  made  a  personal  request  to  have  this  company  accepted. 
"  The  Adjutant-General  of  the  Army  told  me  to  put  my  prop 
osition  in  writing,  which  I  did.  I  received  no  answer  to  it 
until  the  twenty-sixth  day  of  February,  after  I  had  returned 

28 


434  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

home.  The  answer  was,  that  the  sharpshooters  cannot  be  added 
to  Colonel  Briggs's  regiment,  as  he  has  now  ten  companies,  the 
legal  organization  of  an  infantry  regiment." 

On  the  day  the  Adjutant-General  received  this  letter,  he  com 
municated  the  substance  of  it  to  Mr.  Maxwell,  and  said,  "  I 
shall  write  once  more  to-day,  requesting  that  your  company 
may  be  accepted  as  an  independent  company,  to  be  elsewhere 
attached."  He  also  said  that,  if  Mr.  Maxwell  desired,  under 
the  circumstances,  to  continue  recruiting,  he  might;  if  not,  "I 
will  issue  orders  to  discontinue  it  at  once."  He  received  no 
answer  to  his  letter  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  of 
Feb.  26,  until  March  22,  nearly  a  month  after  it  was  written. 
The  answer  was  as  follows  :  — 

"In  reply  to  your  communication  of  Feb.  26,  I  have  the  honor  to 
state  that  the  services  of  the  sharpshooters,  unless  as  a  company  to 
complete  some  infantry  regiment,  cannot  be  accepted. 

"  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant- General" 

This  was  communicated  to  Mr.  Maxwell.  As  we  had  no 
regiment  in  the  field  that  required  a  company  to  complete  it, 
of  course  nothing  was  left  to  do  but  to  disband  the  company, 
"  to  raise  which  Mr.  Maxwell  had  spent  four  months  of  his 
time,  and  a  considerable  sum  of  money." 

The  report  concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  The  Commonwealth  never  agreed  to  pay  either  of  the  parties  any 
thing.  If  the  company  had  been  accepted  by  the  United  States,  Mr. 
Maxwell  would  undoubtedly  have  been  commissioned  captain,  and  thus 
have  been  remunerated  for  his  time  and  cost.  But,  as  the  United 
States  refused  to  accept  it  after  long  delays,  Mr.  Maxwell  lias  received 
no  compensation  whatever  for  his  labor  and  expenses.  He  is  a  man 
of  small  means,  and  it  is  hard  so  great  a  burden  should  rest  on  him, 
for  he  acted  in  good  faith.  If  the  Legislature  should  reimburse  him, 
I  believe  the  case,  if  properly  presented,  would  be  favorably  considered 
by  the  Federal  authorities,  and  the  money  repaid  to  the  Common 
wealth." 

We  believe  the  claim  of  Mr.  Maxwell  was  allowed. 

At  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg,  in  December,  1862,  Ser 
geant  Plunkett,  of  the  Twenty-first  Regiment,  lost  both  his  arms. 
The  color-bearer  had  been  killed.  Plunkett  sprang  forward, 


SERGEANT  PLUNKETT's  CASE.  435 

seized  the  colors,  and  carried  them  in  advance  of  the  regiment. 
Shortly  after,  he  was  severely  wounded  in  both  arms,  and  fell 
forward,  grasping  the  colors  in  his  hand.  They  are  now  in  the 
State  House,  stained  with  his  blood.  Both  arms  were  amputated. 
He  was  sent  to  hospital,  and  recovered,  and  is  now  living  at  his 
home  in  Worcester  County.  His  case  was  one  of  marked 
bravery.  After  his  discharge,  and  on  his  return  home,  he 
staid  a  while  at  the  New-England  Rooms  with  Colonel  Howe. 
On  the  sixteenth  day  of  April,  the  Adjutant-General  received  a 
letter  from  James  W.  Hale,  76,  Wall  Street,  New  York,  in 
forming  him  that  he  had  succeeded  in  raising  several  thousand 
dollars  as  a  testimonial  to  Sergeant  Plunkett,  and  requesting  the 
Governor  to  make  Sergeant  Plunkett  a  captain.  On  the  seven 
teenth  day  of  April,  the  Adjutant- General  wrote  to  Mr.  Hale 
as  follows  :  — 

"Your  favor  of  the  16th  instant  I  had  the  honor  to  receive  this 
morning.  Your  labors  in  behalf  of  Sergeant  Plunkett  are  worthy  to 
be  written  in  letters  of  gold.  You  have  done  a  most  noble  work,  and 
earned  the  heartfelt  thanks  of  all  good  and  patriotic  men.  May  the 
blessings  of  Heaven  fall  daily  upon  you  and  yours !  I  referred  your 
letter  to  His  Excellency  the  Governor,  who  returned  it  to  me  with 
this  indorsement :  — 

"  *  Respectfully  returned  to  General  Schouler,  with  my  thanks  for 
the  favor  of  reading  this  letter.  I  beg,  through  General  Schouler,  to 
send  my  grateful  acknowledgments  to  Mr.  Hale,  of  his  benevolent 
conduct  and  sympathetic  recognition  of  the  noble  qualities  of  Sergeant 
Plunkett.  May  God  bless  him  for  his  kind  heart!  and  may  brave 
men,  in  the  day  of  the  weakness  of  the  flesh,  ever  find  such  friends 
and  helpers  !  J.  A.  ANDREW. 

" '  April  17,  1863.' 

"  In  regard  to  your  request  to  have  Sergeant  Plunkett  made  a  cap 
tain,  I  beg  respectfully  to  dissent  from  your  view  of  the  case.  Were  I 
he,  I  would  rather  live  and  be  known  as  Sergeant  Plunkett,  of  the 
Twenty-first  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  who  lost  both  his  arms  at  the 
battle  of  Fredericksburg  when  acting  as  color-sergeant,  and  whose 
bravery  in  action  had  received  from  strangers  such  recognition  as  you 
have  shown,  than  to  be  made  a  field-marshal.  I  merely  give  this  as 
my  own  impression.  What  course  His  Excellency  may  take  in  regard 
to  your  suggestion,  I  have  not  yet  been  informed.  Please  accept  my 


436  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

warmest  thanks  for  what  you  have  done.  May  peace,  contentment, 
and  happiness  ever  attend  you,  and  be  ever  present  in  your  household 
and  around  your  fireside  ! 

"  Yours  truly, 

" WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant- General'' 

We  find  the  following  note  among  the  Adjutant-General's 
letters,  dated  April  20,  1863  :- 

"  I  have  been  ordered  by  His  Excellency  the  Governor  to  proceed 
this  evening  to  New  York,  to  see  General  Wool.  There  is  a  man,  a 
deserter,  at  Fort  Independence,  who  is  sentenced  to  be  shot,  and  the 
Governor  is  very  anxious  to  have  the  sentence  commuted.  General 
Wool  has  power  to  do  it.  If  I  am  successful,  I  save  a  poor  fellow's 
life ;  if  unsuccessful,  I  will  have  the  satisfaction  of  having  done  what 
I  could  to  save  it.  W.  S." 

The  sentence  was  commuted,  and  the  man's  life  saved  ;  his 
name  was  David  Andrews.  On  the  return  of  the  Adjutant- 
General  from  New  York,  he  visited  the  prisoner  at  the  fort,  in 
company  with  Captain  Collins,  U.S.A.,  and  reported  to  the 
Governor,  — 

"  We  saw  the  condemned  man  in  his  cell,  and  had  a  brief  conversa 
tion  with  him.  He  appears  to  be  a  harmless  being,  with  a  very  weak 
intellect.  There  was  nothing  vicious  or  gross  in  his  conversation  or 
appearance.  Both  Captain  Collins  and  myself  agreed  that  it  would  be 
a  pity  to  select  such  a  person  for  death  punishment,  and  that  his  sen 
tence  should  be  commuted." 

Another  class  of  cases  was  where  men  had  just  claims  against 
the  Government  for  labor  performed,  and  articles  furnished  for 
the  camps.  One  of  them  was  the  claim  of  Asa  Palmer,  for 
payment  for  hay,  wood,  and  straw,  furnished  for  "Camp  Stanton," 
in  Lynnfield,  which  amounted  to  $1,918.70.  His  bills  were 
approved  by  the  proper  officers  ;  yet  he  could  not  get  his  pay, 
because  no  certificates  had  been  received  at  the  office  of  the 
Quartermaster-General  at  Washington,  "to  show  in  what  quar 
ter  he  will  account  for  the  property."  In  regard  to  these  bills 
and  the  cause  of  the  delay,  the  Adjutant-General  wrote  to 
Major-General  Meigs,  Quartermaster-General,  U.S.A.,  at 
Washington,  — 


DELAY   IN    PAYING   ACCOUNTS.  43? 

"  The  Quartermasters  who  receipted  to  Mr.  Palmer  for  the  property 
were  Lieutenant  Hayes,  post-quartermaster  for  a  time,  who  is  now 
somewhere  in  New  York,  but  where  I  do  not  know,  and  First- 
Lieutenant  Richardson,  quartermaster  of  the  Thirty-third  Regiment, 
who  is  now  with  his  regiment  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  Mr. 
Palmer  is  a  poor  man ;  the  money  is  owed  by  him  to  the  farmers  in 
Lynnfield  and  neighborhood,  and  he  is  much  annoyed  because  he  does 
not  pay  them ;  but  he  cannot  do  it  until  the  Government  pays  him. 
The  money  has  been  due  about  a  year.  He  has  done  every  thing  in 
his  power  to  have  the  bills  settled ;  but  he  cannot  make  officers  make 
the  returns  they  should  make,  and  therefore  he  is  denied  what  is  his 
due.  Captain  McKim  and  all  of  us  are  satisfied  that  the  bills  are  just, 
and  that  Mr.  Palmer  should  have  been  paid  long  ago.  I  will  thank 
you,  therefore,  if  you  will  take  the  bills  and  vouchers  as  they  are,  and 
permit  Captain  McKim  to  pay  Mr.  Palmer  what  is  so  justly  his  due, 
and  which  he  is  so  much  in  need  of." 

The  bill  was  paid  ;  not,  however,  without  some  further  delay. 
There  were  a  great  many  cases  of  this  character,  some  of  which 
have  not  yet  been  settled,  for  want  of  proper  vouchers,  which 
should  have  been  furnished  by  officers. 

On  the  4th  of  June,  the  Adjutant-General  reported  to  the 
Governor,  in  writing,  that  he  had  received  a  large  number  of  re 
ports  from  our  batteries  in  the  Army  of  the  Gulf,  which  related 
to  matters  which  he  deemed  proper  to  acquaint  him  with.  The 
first  was  a  letter  from  Captain  Hamlin,  of  the  Thirteenth  Bat 
tery,  which  had  left  Boston  on  the  31st  of  January,  but  which 
was  detained  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and,  after  "  a  very  long  and 
tedious  voyage,  arrived  at  New  Orleans  on  the  10th  of  May." 
The  ship  was  becalmed  off  the  coast  of  Florida,  and,  for  a  time, 
was  short  of  water.  The  captain  wrote  that  he  had  received 
authority  to  recruit  men  from  the  Massachusetts  nine  months' 
regiments  in  the  department,  whose  terms  of  service  were  about 
to  expire  ;  and  he  had  no  doubt  he  would  soon  fill  his  battery  to 
the  full  standard.  Second,  a  letter  from  Captain  Peirson,  of 
the  Fifteenth  Battery,  who  represented  that  he  had  five  officers 
and  sixty-eight  men  ready  for  duty  ;  sixteen  men  had  deserted  ; 
and  seventeen  were  in  confinement,  awaiting  court-martial, 
"some  of  whom  will  be  shot."  The  appointment  of  Peirson 
captain  of  the  company  was  one  of  the  few  errors  made  by 


438  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

the  Governor.  Captain  Peirson  was  a  resident  of  Lowell. 
His  appointment  had  been  asked  for  by  politicians  of  high  posi 
tion.  He  asked  that  the  State  would  send  on  sixty  men  to  fill 
up  his  company.  The  request  could  not  be  complied  with.  The 
third  was  a  letter  from  Lieutenant  Motte,  of  the  Thirteenth 
Battery,  complaining  that  some  of  the  officers  commissioned  by 
the  Governor  had  been  notified  that  they  would  be  mustered 
out,  because  an  informality  of  no  importance  had  not  been 
complied  with.  The  fourth  was  a  letter  from  Lieutenant 
Dame,  of  the  Fifteenth  Battery,  to  the  same  effect.  The  Adju 
tant-General  says,  — 

"  It  seems  to  me  very  wrong  that  gentlemen  should  go  to  the  ex 
pense  of  recruiting  a  company,  buying  an  outfit,  be  commissioned, 
mustered  into  the  service,  and  reach  their  destination  after  toils  and 
hardships,  anxious  to  do  something  for  the  glory  of  their  country,  and 
to  be  met  as  some  of  these  officers  have  been  met  in  New  Orleans." 

The  point  in  the  case  was  this:  By  an  order  (No.  110), 
a  battery  of  artillery  was  entitled  to  a  captain  and  four  lieu- 
tenan  ,  if  the  President  should  so  authorize.  In  the  case  of  the 
batteries  here  spoken  of,  the  President  had  given  his  authority, 
and  four  lieutenants  had  been  commissioned  in  each  of  the  com 
panies.  But,  on  the  14th  of  May,  a  letter  was  received  by  His 
Excellency  from  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  saying,  that 
"  the  ruling  of  the  Department  has  been  not  to  give  the  permis 
sion  (for  the  four  lieutenants)  until  the  battery  has  taken  the 
field."  To  this  letter  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  State  called 
the  attention  of  the  Governor,  and  asked,  — 

"  Docs  this  mean,  that,  if  we  get  authority  from  the  President  to 
muster  a  captain  and  four  lieutenants  to  a  battery,  additional  au 
thority  or  permission  is  to  be  had  from  the  War  Department  after  the 
battery  lias  left  the  State.  The  officers  have  been  commissioned  and 
mustered  in,  and  they  have  been  to  the  expense  of  buying  uniforms  and 
horses,  have  spent  months  and  money  in  recruiting  the  company,  and  are 
two  thousand  miles  from  home  ;  and  they  are  to  be  mustered  out.  I 
have  heard  unofficially,  that  the  order  of  General  Banks  to  muster  out 
two  lieutenants  in  each  battery  has  been  rescinded  by  the  War  Depart 
ment.  I  do  not  know  that  this  information  is  reliable  ;  but  I  think 


THE    MASSACHUSETTS    BATTERIES.  439 

the  order  should  be  rescinded,  and  that  our  officers  should  no  longer  be 
subject  to  its  requirements." 

The  Governor  directed  the  Adjutant-General  to  write  to  the 
Adjutant-General  of  the  army,  and  represent  the  case  to  him  ; 
which  he  did  on  the  same  day.  Referring  to  the  letter  of  the 
14th  of  May,  from  which  we  have  quoted,  he  was  directed  by 
the  Governor  to  put  this  direct  question  :  — 

"  Whether,  when  a  battery  is  full  and  under  orders  to  march,  the 
additional  lieutenants  may  not  be  commissioned  ;  or  whether  it  is 
meant  they  cannot  be  commissioned  until  after  the  company  has 
reached  some  other  place,  and,  if  so,  what  place  ? " 

In  concluding  his  letter,  the  Adjutant-General  said,  — 

"  Allow  me  to  thank  you  for  your  many  kindnesses  in  transacting 
business  in  your  office,  and  to  more  strongly  urge  that  you  will  have 
orders  given  to  have  the  full  number  of  officers  to  our  batteries  in  the 
Department  of  the  Gulf  mustered  in,  as  they  are  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  in  other  departments." 

The  result  of  the  correspondence  was,  that  orders  were  issued 
to  retain  the  officers  ;  and  they  served,  many  of  them,  with  dis 
tinction  through  the  war.  Before  passing  from  this  subject,  we 
would  add,  that  no  arm  of  the  Massachusetts  volunteers  did 
greater  service  to  the  nation,  or  reflected  greater  honor  upon 
Massachusetts,  than  the  sixteen  light  batteries  which  went  from 
this  Commonwealth  to  the  war.  Many  of  the  officers  held  high 
commands  ;  some  of  them  of  the  artillery  of  a  corps  ;  and  yet 
none  of  them  could  ever  reach  a  higher  rank  than  captain,  and 
for  the  reason  that  the  Secretary  of  War  would  not  consent  to 
have  our  batteries  given  either  a  battalion  or  a  regimental 
organization.  States,  which  did  not  send  half  as  many  batteries 
into  the  service,  had  these  privileges  allowed  them  ;  and,  in  con 
sequence,  they  had  their  majors,  lieutenant-colonels,  and  colo 
nels  of  artillery,  while  Massachusetts  had  no  officers  of  higher 
rank  in  this  arm  of  the  service  than  a  captain.  The  Governor 
exerted  his  utmost  power  to  have  this  wrong  righted,  but  in 
vain.  The  only  answer  which  Secretary  Stanton  gave  was,  that 
"  mistakes  had  been  made  in  the  beginning  of  the  war,  which  he 
did  not  wish  to  keep  up."  We  will  not  say  that  the  Secretary 


440  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

was  altogether  to  blame ;  but  the  wrong  done  could  have  been 
righted  by  Congress  fixing  a  brevet  rank,  which  would  have 
carried  command  and  pay  with  it,  and  not  have  permitted  offi 
cers  of  the  skill  and  bravery  of  Martin,  McCartney,  Nims,  and 
others  we  could  name,  to  serve  in  positions  which  properly  be 
longed  to  brigadier-generals,  and  to  perform  the  duties  of  those 
positions  with  pre-eminent  merit,  while  only  holding  in  reality 
the  commissions  of  captains,  and  allowed  only  the  pay  and 
allowances  of  captains.  It  is  true  that  these  gentlemen  were 
named  in  official  bulletins  in  words  of  praise  for  "  gallant  and 
efficient  services  in  the  field,"  and,  at  the  end  of  the  war,  they 
were  brevetted  brigadier-generals  ;  but  something  more  was  due 
the  officers  and  men  of  the  light  batteries  of  Massachusetts. 

The  preceding  pages  of  this  chapter  give  a  faint  idea  of  some 
of  the  many  questions  which  engaged  the  attention  of  the  State 
authorities  during  the  first  six  months  of  1863.  Other  matters, 
however,  of  the  highest  importance  to  the  unity  of  the  nation 
and  to  the  good  of  the  Commonwealth,  were  in  the  mean  time 
maturing,  which  culminated,  in  the  early  days  of  July,  with  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg,  the  fall  of  Yicksburg,  and  the  capture  of 
Port  Hudson,  which  shook  the  rebel  Confederacy  from  "turret 
to  foundation-stone ;  "  the  glory  of  which  achievements  was  for 
a  moment  eclipsed  by  the  draft  riots  in  New  York  and  Boston. 
Of  these  we  shall  briefly  speak  in  the  succeeding  chapter. 


CHAP  TEH    IX. 

The  Military  Condition  —  Reverses  and  Successes  of  the  Union  Arms  —  Ser 
vice  and  Return  Home  of  the  Nine  Months'  Regiments  —  List  of  Casualties 

—  Deserters  —  The  July  Riot  in  Boston  —  Prompt  Action  —  An  Abstract  of 
the  Orders  —  Alarm  in  other  Cities  —  The  Attack  in  Cooper  Street  —  The 
Eleventh  Battery  —  The  Word  to  fire  —  The  Riot  suppressed  —  The  Draft  — 
Appointment  of  Provost-Marshals  —  The  Fifty -fifth    Colored  Regiment  — 
Letters  from  Secretary  Stanton —  Injustice  to  the  Colored  Troops  —  Letters 
of  the  Governor  on  the  Subject  —  Difficulties  with  the  Draft  —  Major  Blake 
sent  to  Washington  —  Request  to  allow  Bounties  to  Drafted  Men  refused  — 
John  M.  Forbes  in  Washington  —  Letters  to  the  Governor  —  Heavy  Ord 
nance —  Colonel  Lowell —  The  Attack  on  Wagner  —  Death  of  Colonel  Shaw 

—  Instances  of  Bravery  on  the  Part  of  Colored  Troops  —  Letters  to  General 
Dix — Troops  for  Coast  Defence — Governor  writes  to  Governor  of  Ohio  — 
Formation  of  Veteran  Regiment  —  Massachusetts  Militia  —  Letters  to  Colo 
nel  Lee  —  Colored   Cavalry — Letter  of  Secretary   Stanton  —  Confidential 
Letter  on  the  Exposed  Condition  of  the  Coast — Telegraph  Communication 
with  the  Forts  —  Letters  to  Senator  Sumner — Exact  Condition  of  the  De 
fences  —  Letter  of  the  Adjutant- General —  Reports  of  General  William  Ray 
mond  Lee  —  Colonel  Ritchie  sent  to  England  —  Democratic  State  Convention 

—  Republican  State  Convention  —  Re-election  of  Governor  Andrew  —  The 
President  calls  for  Three  Hundred  Thousand  more  Volunteers  —  Extra  Ses 
sion  of  the  Legislature  called  —  Governor's  Address  —  Bounties  increased  — 
Abstract  of  Laws. 

THE  preceding  chapter  brought  the  record  of  the  State,  as 
it  relates  to  the  military  correspondence  of  the  Governor  and 
the  departments,  to  July  1,  1863.  Before  proceeding  farther, 
we  propose  to  briefly  sketch  the  military  operations  in  the 
several  departments  from  Jan.  1  to  July  1,  and  particularly  in 
regard  to  the  nine  months'  regiments,  the  services  they  per 
formed,  and  their  return  home  at  the  expiration  of  their  terms 
of  service.  General  Banks  was  in  command  of  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Gulf;  General  Hooker,  of  the  Army  of  the  Po 
tomac  ;  and  General  Foster,  of  North  Carolina.  All  of  the 
nine  months'  regiments,  except  the  Sixth,  were  in  the  Depart 
ments  of  the  Gulf  and  North  Carolina.  The  Sixth  Regiment 


442  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

was  in  Virginia,   near  Suffolk,   during    most    of  its    term    of 

service. 

On  July  1,  General  Banks,  with  his  command,  was  in  front 
of  Port  Hudson,  on  the  Mississippi.  General  Grant  was  be 
sieging  Vicksburg,  which  fell  into  his  hands  July  4.  Port 
Hudson  capitulated  a  few  days  subsequent ;  and  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  was  advancing,  by  forced  marches  through  Vir 
ginia,  across  the  Potomac  into  Pennsylvania,  to  head  off  Lee, 
who  had  advanced  with  his  entire  command,  by  a  flank  move 
ment,  into  that  State. 

The  armies  met  on  the  second  and  third  days  of  July,  at 
Gettysburg,  when  the  great  battle  of  the  war  was  fought,  and 
the  most  important  victory  gained  by  the  Union  arms.  The 
defeat  of  the  rebel  army  at  Gettysburg,  the  capture  of  Vicks 
burg  by  General  Grant,  and  the  fall  of  Port  Hudson,  culminat 
ing  as  they  did  within  a  few  days  of  each  other,  were  the  most 
important  events  which  had  happened  during  the  war ;  they 
gave  stren fifth  and  courage  to  the  Union  cause,  and  weakened 

O  O  O 

and  discouraged  the  enemy.  Lee  was  driven  back  behind  his 
fortifications  in  Virginia,  south  of  the  Rapidan  ;  the  Mississippi 
was  ours  ;  the  Southern  Confederacy  was  severed  ;  and  from  that 
time  until  the  close  of  the  Rebellion,  in  the  spring  of  1865,  it 
lost  strength  and  prestige. 

The  battle  of  Chancellorsville  was  fought  May  4,  when  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  was  under  command  of  General  Hooker, 
from  whom  successful  military  operations  had  been  expected. 
On  the  first  day  of  May,  he  commenced  his  advance  movement 
across  the  Rappahannock.  The  loyal  people  of  the  nation 
hailed  the  advance  as  an  event  sure  to  result  in  success,  —  the 
defeat  of  Lee's  army,  and  the  capture  of  Richmond.  Their  ex 
pectations  were  sadly  disappointed.  The  battle  of  Chancellors 
ville  was  a  defeat  to  the  Union  arms  ;  and  the  retreat  of  the  army 
across  the  Rappahannock  to  its  original  quarters,  the  long  lists 
of  killed  and  wounded  published  in  the  papers,  and  the  many 
rumors  which  reached  us  from  the  front,  added  to  the  general 
feeling  of  disappointment  and  sorrow  which  pervaded  loyal 
hearts.  In  order  to  ascertain  from  an  official  source  the 
true  cause  and  the  exact  position  of  affairs,  Governor  Andrew 


LETTER    TO    GENERAL   HOOKER.  443 

telegraphed  to  Mr.  Stanton,  May  8,  as  follows  :  "May  I  ask  if 
the  storm  and  rise  of  the  Rappahannock  determined  Hooker's 
recrossing?"  To  which  Mr.  Stanton  replied, — 

"  The  President  and  General-in-chief  have  just  returned  from  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  principal  operation  of  General  Hooker 
failed ;  but  there  has  been  no  serious  disaster  to  the  organization  and 
efficiency  of  the  army.  It  is  now  occupying  its  former  position  of  the 
Eappahannock,  having  recrossed  the  river  without  any  loss  in  the 
movement.  Not  more  than  one-third  of  General  Hooker's  force  was 
engaged.  General  Stoneman's  operations  have  been  a  brilliant  suc 
cess.  A  part  of  his  force  advanced  to  within  two  miles  of  Richmond, 
and  the  enemy's  communications  have  been  cut  in  every  direction. 
The  Army  of  the  Potomac  will  soon  resume  offensive  operations." 

General  Hooker  remained  in  command  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  until  June,  when  he  was  superseded  by  General 
Meade. 

We  have  already  briefly  recited  the  formation  and  departure 
of  our  nine  months'  troops  :  we  now  proceed  to  briefly  sketch 
narratives  of  their  services  from  the  time  they  left  the  State 
until  their  return ;  beginning  with  the  Third  Regiment,  which 
was  in  the  Department  of  North  Carolina. 

On  Dec.  11,  1862,  the  regiment  started  from  Newbern  with 
the  "  expedition  to  Goldsborough,"  which  occupied  eleven  days  ; 
and  the  troops  marched  more  than  one  hundred  and  fifty 
miles.  It  participated  in  the  battles  of  Kinston,  Whitehall, 
and  Goldsborough.  The  regiment  was  complimented  at  the 
last-named  battle  by  its  brigade  commander  for  its  bravery  in 
tearing  up  the  railroad  track  while  under  fire,  and  its  steadiness 
in  supporting  Belger's  and  Morrison's  Batteries  while  repelling 
the  brilliant  charge  of  the  rebels  under  General  Pettigrew,  and 
also  for  its  coolness  while  recrossing  the  creek,  which  had  been 
flooded  by  the  rebels.  Though  it  was  under  fire  several  hours 
during  the  day,  its  only  loss  was  six  men  wounded. 

On  the  30th  December,  the  regiment  was  attached  to  Gen 
eral  Heckman's  brigade. 

On  Jan.  14,  it  was  attached  to  Colonel  J.  Jourdan's  brigade, 
with  which  it  remained  during  the  remainder  of  its  term  of 
service.  On  the  26th,  it  moved  to  "  Camp  Jourdan,"  near  Fort 


444  MASSACHUSETTS   IN   THE    REBELLION. 

Totten,  one  of  the  most  important  points  in  the  defences  of 
Newbern. 

On  March  6,  the  regiment  went  with  General  Prince's  di 
vision  on  an  expedition  into  Jones  and  Onslow  Counties,  occu 
pying  five  days,  during  which  it  was  detailed  with  other  troops 
twice  for  important  detached  service. 

On  the  8th  of  April,  it  joined  a  column  under  General  Spi- 
nola,  and  made  a  forced  march  to  Blount's  Creek ;  had  a 
slight  engagement  with  the  enemy.  During  this  expedition, 
the  troops  marched  thirty  miles,  and  had  a  skirmish  with  the 
rebels,  in  one  day. 

On  the  16th  of  April,  it  joined  a  column  under  General 
Prince,  and  marched  to  Coir  Creek,  remaining  six  days,  during 
which  time  several  slight  skirmishes  with  the  enemy  took  place. 
It  was  this  movement,  combined  with  the  operations  of  another 
column  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  Neuse,  which  caused  the 
rebels  to  evacuate  their  position  in  front  of  Washington,  N.C., 
thereby  releasing  the  Forty-fourth  Massachusetts  from  its  un 
comfortable  position. 

On  the  llth  of  June,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Boston, 
and,  on  the  26th,  was  mustered  out  of  service  by  Captain  I.  K. 
Lawrence. 

During  the  campaign,  it  was  transported  by  steamers  and 
railroads  more  than  two  thousand  miles,  and  marched  more 
than  four  hundred  miles  over  the  swampy  roads  of  North 
Carolina,  most  of  it  during  the  most  inclement  season. 

After  it  was  mustered  out  of  service,  it  assumed  its  place  as 
part  of  the  militia  of  Massachusetts. 

The  Fourth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf, 
and  arrived  in  New  Orleans  Feb.  13,  1863.  It  was  attached 
to  the  First  Brigade,  Third  Division,  commanded  by  Colo 
nel  Ingraharn,  Thirty -eighth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  and 
left  for  Baton  Rouge,  La.,  March  7.  In  the  expedition 
against  Port  Hudson,  this  regiment  bore  a  conspicuous  part. 
After  an  absence  of  a  week,  it  returned  to  the  encampment 
at  Baton  Rouge.  On  the  3d  of  April,  it  again  broke  camp, 
and  went  down  the  Mississippi  to  Algiers,  and  thence  to 
Brashear  City,  where  it  was  ordered  to  remain  with  the  Six- 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  EEGIMENTS.  445 

teenth  New-Hampshire  Volunteers,  to  guard  the  post  which 
was  the  base  of  supplies  for  the  army,  while  General  Banks 
was  marching  through  Teche  country  to  Alexandria,  at  that 
time  one  of  the  most  important  posts  in  the  department.  Just 
before  the  battle  of  Bisland,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  join 
the  brigade  before  the  enemy,  and  "remain  till  the  fight  was 
over;"  accordingly,  left  Brashear  City  April  11,  on  short 
notice,  marched  ten  miles  in  the  night,  and  next  morning  took 
its  position  against  the  enemy ;  participated  in  the  two  days' 
engagement,  12th  and  13th,  and  at  sunset  was  sent  to  the 
extreme  front  to  guard  the  line,  with  orders  to  hold  until 
morning,  at  all  hazards,  what  had  been  gained  during  the  day  ; 
joined  in  the  pursuit  of  the  rebels  in  their  retreat  on  the  14th, 
as  far  as  Franklin,  where  the  whole  army  rested  for  the  night ; 
the  regiment  returning  next  morning  to  Brashear  City.  It  re 
mained  there,  doing  guard  and  fatigue  duty  until  May  30, 
when  it  was  ordered  to  proceed  forthwith  and  report  to  Major- 
General  Banks  at  Port  Hudson.  It  there  bore  its  share  in  the 
labors,  fatigues,  and  hardships  of  the  siege  until  the  fort  sur 
rendered.  In  the  assault  on  June  14,  two  of  the  companies 
were  detailed,  with  others,  to  carry  hand-grenades  in  the  ad 
vance  of  the  attacking  column. 

Captain  Bartlett,  who  commanded  the  whole  of  the  party, 
fell  mortally  wounded  upon  the  very  breastworks  of  the  enemy, 
while  he,  and  the  officers  and  men  under  his  command,  through 
a  storm  of  shot  and  shell,  were  earnestly  and  heroically,  but 
hopelessly,  endeavoring  to  scale  them.  The  number  of  killed 
and  wounded  in  the  regiment  that  day  was  sixty-eight. 

After  the  surrender  of  Port  Hudson,  this  regiment  was  one 
of  the  first  to  enter  the  fort,  and  remained  inside,  performing 
garrison  duty  until  the  4th  of  August,  when  it  was  ordered 
to  Boston,  arriving  on  the  17th.  A  furlough  of  ten  days  was 
then  given,  after  which  it  was  ordered  to  report  at  Lakeville, 
Mass.  ;  and  on  the  24th  of  August,  having  served  over  eleven 
months,  it  was  mustered  out  of  the  United  States  service.  The 
entire  loss  of  the  regiment  was  upwards  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty -five. 

The  Fifth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  North  Caro- 


446  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

lina.  It  arrived  in  Newbern  by  transports  about  Oct.  30, 
1862.  It  formed  a  part  of  the  brigade  under  the  command  of 
Colonel  Horace  C.  Lee,  of  the  Twenty-seventh  Massachusetts 
Volunteers,  in  which  it  remained  during  the  whole  period  of  its 
term  of  service,  very  much  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  whole 


regiment. 


Before  the  regiment  had  been  forty-eight  hours  in  Newbern, 
orders  were  received  to  be  prepared  to  start  on  an  expedition 
immediately.  Arriving  by  transports  to  Washington,  N.C., 
on  the  31st  of  October,  on  the  2d  of  November  the  whole 
force,  under  command  of  Major-General  Foster,  took  up  its 
line  of  march  to  Williamston.  There  were  some  slight  skir 
mishes  with  the  enemy  on  the  route,  but  nothing  of  impor 
tance  transpired  during  the  time.  On  the  morning  of  the 
10th  December,  the  regiment  left  its  camp  to  join  an  expedition 
to  Goldsborough,  having  for  its  object  the  destruction  of  the 
Wilmington  and  Weldon  Railroad.  The  Fifth  was  assigned  the 
second  post  of  honor,  and  the  care  of  the  wagon  train  was 
intrusted  to  it.  Companies  H  and  E  were  posted  about  three 
miles  from  regimental  headquarters,  and,  on  the  14th,  were 
attacked  by  a  large  force  of  rebel  cavalry.  The  men  stood 
their  ground  manfully,  and,  after  a  very  spirited  engagement, 
repulsed  the  enemy,  and  drove  them  in  great  disorder  towards 
Kinston. 

On  Dec.  15,  the  regiment  rejoined  the  main  column.  On 
the  16th  occurred  the  battle  of  Whitehall.  After  the  battle 
had  been  raging  nearly  an  hour,  Lee's  brigade  was  ordered  to 
the  front,  and  three  of  the  Fifth  Regiment  were  wounded. 

On  the  morning  of  the  17th,  the  whole  column  was  again 
in  motion ;  Lee's  brigade  having  the  advance,  reaching  the 
railroad.  The  bridge  spanning  the  Neuse  River,  and  the  tele 
graph-wires,  were  soon  destroyed ;  companies  D  and  H  pro 
tecting  the  parties  destroying  the  railroad. 

After  the  object  of  the  expedition  had  been  accomplished,  a 
return  to  Newbern  was  ordered.  The  retrograde  had  already 
begun,  leaving  Lee's  brigade,  to  which  the  Fifth  Regiment 
was  attached,  still  on  the  field,  when  the  enemy  advanced  from 
the  cover  of  the  woods  to  make  a  charge  upon  the  brigade. 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  447 

Just  before  the  final  repulse  of  the  rebel  infantry,  the  enemy 
opened  fire  upon  the  brigade,  seeming  to  direct  principally  upon 
the  Fifth  Regiment.  For  upwards  of  two  hours  the  shot  and 
shell  flew  thick  and  fast  around  the  regiment ;  and  twice  were 
its  colors  pierced  by  fragments  of  shell  before  the  enemy's  guns 
were  silenced. 

During  the  return  to  Newbern,  the  regiment  acted  as  the 
rearguard,  and  reached  its  camp.  Dec.  21,  having  marched 
about  one  hundred  and  eighty  miles,  and  having  ten  men 
wounded,  General  Foster  issued  an  order,  directing  the  regi 
ment  to  inscribe  on  its  banners  the  names  of  the  battles  of 
Kinston,  Whitehall,  and  Goldsborough. 

After  Jan.  21,  the  regiment  was  employed  upon  fortifications, 
upon  the  completion  of  which  General  Foster  designated  the 
work  as  Fort  Pierson,  in  compliment  to  the  colonel  of  the 
Fifth  ;  and  further  time,  until  the  13th  of  March,  was  occu 
pied  in  brigade,  regimental,  and  company  drills. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  the  regiment,  with  other  troops,  em 
barked  on  transports  for  Washington,  N.C.,for  the  relief  of 
General  Foster  and  the  garrison  of  that  place. 

April  8.  — The  regiment  joined  an  expedition  to  Washington, 
by  land,  under  command  of  General  Spinola ;  after  a  short  en 
gagement,  the  troops  were  ordered  to  return.  Two  or  three 
short  expeditions  occupied  the  time  till  May  21,  when  Lee's 
brigade,  with  other  forces,  left  Newbern,  for  the  purpose  of 
attempting  the  surprise  and  capture  of  the  rebel  force  in  the 
fortifications  at  Mosely  Creek,  reconnoitred  by  the  Fifth  Regi 
ment  three  weeks  previously. 

Success  followed  this  attack  upon  the  enemy,  who  were 
thrown  into  a  panic  and  fled  in  great  confusion ;  200  prison 
ers  were  captured,  43  horses  and  mules  and  ambulances,  17 
wagons,  1  gun,  500  stands  of  arms,  17  rounds  of  ammunition, 
and  the  entire  hospital  furniture  and  supplies  of  the  enemy. 
This  was  the  last  expedition  in  which  the  regiment  was  en 
gaged,  and  in  some  respects  the  hardest,  owing  to  the  intense 
heat  of  the  weather,  the  miry  swamps,  and  almost  impenetrable 
jungles  on  the  line  of  march. 

During  its  term  of  service,  the  regiment  marched  six  hundred 


448  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

miles  over  the  wretched  roads  of  North  Carolina,  and  sailed 
over  two  thousand  miles  in  crowded  transports.  It  left  North 
Carolina  on  June  22,  to  report  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  proceed 
to  Boston.  The  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Wen- 
ham,  July  2,  1863. 

The  Sixth  Regiment  left  the  State  Sept.  9,  1862,  with  orders 
to  report  at  Washington.  From  thence  it  proceeded  to  Suf 
folk,  Va.,  twenty-three  miles  from  Norfolk,  where  there  was  a 
force  of  about  five  thousand.  On  the  17th,  the  first  touch  of 
war  was  experienced,  and  all  fell  in  for  action.  Some  of  the 
Sixth  were  sent  out  as  skirmishers  ;  others  supported  a  battery. 
No  attack  was  made  ;  but  the  "  fatigue  duty  "  they  inaugurated 
was  systematically  followed  by  the  Sixth  during  the  next  eight 
months  ;  and  the  result  of  their  work  upon  fortifications  was 
seen  in  one  of  the  most  formidable  lines  of  defences  to  be  found 
in  the  country.  On  the  24th,  the  regiment  was  brigaded, 
under  command  of  Colonel  R.  S.  Foster. 

Oct.  4.  — The  first  march  into  the  enemy's  country  occurred 
when  the  regiment  made  part  of  an  expedition  to  Western 
Branch  Church  ;  but  no  hostile  force  was  met. 

Nov.  17.  —  The  third  expedition  into  the  rebel  neighborhood 
began ;  a  slight  skirmish  took  place,  but  the  artillery  soon 
drove  the  enemy. 

Dec.  5. — A  new  company-ground  was  occupied  on  the 
front ;  it  received  the  name  of  "  Camp  Misery,"  but  it  was 
soon  so  improved  that  it  became  healthy  and  pleasant. 

On  the  llth,  a  large  force,  including  the  Sixth,  was  sent  to 
a  ford  of  the  Blackwater,  to  rout  a  rebel  force.  The  regiment 
lost  a  gallant  officer,  —  Lieutenant  Barr,  of  Company  I,  Law 
rence,  who  was  shot  through  the  heart. 

At  midnight,  Jan.  29,  the  regiment  fell  in,  under  General 
Corcoran,  a  part  of  a  force  of  four  thousand  three  hundred 
men,  and  marched  towards  Blackwater;  the  Sixth  supporting 
our  Seventh  battery,  who  were  under  fire  for  the  first  time. 
The  position  of  the  regiment  was  on  the  edge  of  a  swamp,  and 
was  very  exposed.  The  engagement  lasted  two  hours  under 
close  range,  —  eight  hundred  yards.  The  day  following,  another 
engagement  occurred,  ending  in  a  repulse  of  the  foe.  The 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  449 

force  returned,  after  a  march  of  thirty-five  miles,  and  three 
fights  —  all  in  twenty-four  hours.  The  night  was  pitch  dark; 
the  shot  and  shell  ploughed  incessantly ;  but  the  men  held  their 
positions,  went  and  came  through  mud  knee-deep.  At  this 
time,  nearly  two  hundred  men  were  on  detached  service  ;  but 
not  one  of  them  ever  deserted,  or  was  court-martialled  for 
dereliction  of  duty. 

April  8.  —  The  regiment  was  ordered  to  be  ready  to  leave 
Suffolk,  and  preparations  were  made,  when  the  order  was  coun 
termanded,  as  an  immediate  attack  from  the  enemy  was  antici 
pated.  April  11,  a  large  force,  under  General  Longstreet,  laid 
siege  to  Suffolk.  Colonel  Follansbee  was  placed  in  command 
of  the  front ;  the  position  was  occupied  by  the  New-York  One- 
hundred-and-thirtieth,  Massachusetts  Seventh  Battery,  Sixth 
Massachusetts  Infantry.  An  attack  was  immediately  expected  ; 
and  from  this  time  onward  a  continual  skirmishing  was  kept  up 
for  twenty-three  days,  mostly  between  sharpshooters,  gunboats, 
and  artillery,  though  several  times  the  engagements  assumed  the 
proportions  of  smart  battles. 

On  May  4,  the  enemy  fell  back  from  his  position,  and  made 
a  precipitous  march  towards  Fredericks!) urg ;  and  our  forces 
started  in  pursuit,  capturing  several  hundred  prisoners.  Dur 
ing  the  twenty-three  days'  siege,  the  regiment  was  severely 
taxed,  and  much  exposed ;  but  the  singular  good  fortune  that 
lias  ever  attended  it  did  not  fail  here  :  its  loss  was  very  slight. 

May  13. — The  regiment  started  with  others  towards  the 
Blackwater,  for  the  eighth  and  last  time.  Colonel  Foster  com 
manded  the  whole,  and  Colonel  Follansbee  commanded  Foster's 
brigade.  The  object  was  to  protect  workmen  engaged  in  taking 
up  the  rails  of  the  Seaboard  and  Roanoke  Railroad.  During 
the  three  fights  of  this  expedition,  the  Sixth  suffered  quite  se 
verely  ;  but  the  forces  held  their  position,  protecting  the  work 
men  till  the  track  from  Carrsville  to  Suffolk  was  taken  up. 
The  Sixth  then  returned  to  Deserted  House  on  the  19th,  and 
bivouacked,  on  the  ground  for  which  it  fought,  June  30. 

Under  command  of  General  Corcoran,  the  regiment  moved  to 
Windsor,  May  20,  to  protect  workmen  in  taking  up  the  rails  of 
the  Norfolk  and  Petersburg  road.  Here  it  remained  until  the 

29 


450  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

23d,  when  General  Corcoran  notified  Colonel  Follansbee  that 
the  regiment  would  that  day  be  relieved,  as  the  term  of 
service  would  soon  expire.  Accordingly,  it  left  for  Suffolk, 
arriving  after  ten  days  of  most  fatiguing  and  exhausting  ser 
vice,  which  told  more  on  the  regiment's  health  than  all  the  rest 
of  its  hardships  combined. 

On  the  20th  of  May,  it  bade  adieu  to  the  scenes  of  its  toils 
and  perils,  arriving  at  Boston,  in  the  steamer  "  S.  R.  Spauld- 
ing,"  after  a  delightful  voyage,  May  29,  reaching  Lowell  the 
same  day,  where  it  was  mustered  out  of  service  on  the  3d  of 
June. 

Thus  ended  the  second  campaign  of  the  Sixth  Massachusetts 
Regiment,  honorably  to  itself,  and  with  remarkable  exemption 
from  death  by  disease  and  battle,  considering  the  number  of  its 
engagements,  and  the  unhealthy  location  of  its  camp  on  the 
edge  of  the  Dismal  Swamp. 

All  who  were  killed  in  battle,  or  who  died  of  disease,  were 
embalmed,  and  sent  home  for  interment ;  a  remarkable  fact  in 
the  history  of  a  regiment.  Not  one  of  its  members  rests  in 
Virginia  soil. 

The  Eighth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  North  Caro 
lina.  It  left  the  State  Nov.  25,  1802,  and  arrived  at  Morehead 
City  Nov.  30,  and,  on  the  same  day,  from  thence  by  rail  to 
Newbern.  It  was  assigned  to  the  Second  Brigade,  First  Di 
vision,  under  command  of  Colonel  T.  G.  Stevenson,  Twenty- 
fourth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  and  went  into  camp  on  the 
"Fair  Grounds.'5 

On  Dec.  4,  Companies  A  and  E  were  detached  from  the 
regiment  for  garrison  duty  at  Roanoke  Island,  and  remained 
absent  till  July  12,  1803,  when  they  rejoined  it  at  Maryland 
Heights. 

On  Dec.  9,  the  regiment  was  detached  from  the  Second 
Brigade,  First  Division,  for  garrison  duty  at  Newrbern. 

On  Dec.  28,  it  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  under  command  of 
Colonel  T.  J.  C.  Amory,  Seventeenth  Massachusetts  Volunteers, 
and  on  the  same  day  was  transferred  to  the  First  Brigade,  Second 
Division,  under  command  of  Brigadier-General  Heckman,  where 
it  remained  until  Jan.  11,  1803,  when,  the  brigade  being 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  451 

ordered  to  the  "Department  of  the  South,"  the  regiment  was 
transferred  to  the  Second  Brigade,  Fifth  Division,  under  com 
mand  of  Colonel  James  Jourdan. 

On  Jan.  25,  1863,  the  regiment  changed  camp  from  "Fair 
Grounds"  to  Fort  Totten.  Companies  G  and  H  were  de 
tached  for  duty  at  that  place. 

Through  the  month  of  February,  garrison  duty  was  per 
formed  at  Roanoke  Island,  rebel  salt-works  destroyed,  and 
guerillas  captured  near  Carrituck  Sound  ;  and  on  the  25th,  a 
review  of  all  the  troops  taking  place  at  Newbern,  the  Eighth 
received  the  credit  of  being  one  of  the  best  regiments  in  the  de 
partment  for  soldierly  bearing  and  deportment. 

Nothing  of  importance  occurring  during  the  month  of  March, 
the  regiment  formed  a  part  of  an  expedition  on  April  8,  under 
command  of  Brigadier-General  Spinola,  to  reinforce  General 
Foster,  at  Washington,  N.C.  ;  met  and  engaged  the  enemy  at 
Blount's  Creek. 

April  16.  —  The  regiment  formed  part  of  an  expedition 
under  command  of  General  Prince  ;  left  Newbern  for  the  pur 
pose  of  reconnoitring  in  the  vicinity  of  the  outposts  of  the 
enemy;  remained  six  days,  and  took  a  number  of  prisoners. 

During  May,  the  regiment  was  encamped ;  and,  on  June 
24,  embarked  on  transports  for  Fortress  Monroe,  arriving  on 
the  27th;  the  next  day  were  ordered  to  Boston,  Mass.,  to  be 
mustered  out  of  service  ;  which  order  was  countermanded. 

On  the  30th,  were  ordered  to  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  report  to 
Major-General  Schenck,  as  there  were  fears  of  an  attack  on 
that  city  by  the  enemy. 

On  July  1,  it  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  under  command  of 
Brigadier-General  Briggs  ;  and  proceeded  to  Sandy  Hook,  and 
took  up  the  line  of  march  to  Maryland  Heights,  where,  after  a 
dismal  and  tedious  march  in  pitchy  darkness,  up  rugged  heights, 
it  finally  reached  the  destination,  took  possession  of  Fort  Dun 
can,  and  raised  the  Stars  and  Stripes  where  they  could  be  seen 
by  the  enemy  at  break  of  day.  It  remained  here  until  the  12th, 
when  the  brigade  again  marched,  to  reinforce  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  at  Funkstown.  Remaining  with  the  army  during  its 
movement  to  the  Rappahannock,  on  the  26th  it  was  ordered 


452  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

home.  While  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  though  not  en 
gaged  with  the  enemy,  it  suffered  much  for  want  of  tents, 
clothing,  shoes,  &c.,  having  failed  to  supply  itself  on  leaving 
Newbern,  as  was  supposed,  for  Massachusetts. 

The  regiment  returned  to  the  State  on  the  29th  of  July, 
with  clothes  tattered  and  torn,  but  yet  showing  they  had 
seen  service,  and,  by  their  firm  tread  and  manly  bearing,  that 
they  were  ready  and  willing  to  do  their  duty  to  their  country, 
and  to  the  glorious  old  flag. 

It  was  mustered  out  of  service  Aug.  7,  1863. 

The  Forty-second  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the 
Gulf,  and  arrived  at  New  Orleans  Dec.  16,  1862.  On  the 
19th,  Colonel  Burrill,  with  companies  D,  G,  and  F,  embarked 
on  the  transport  "Saxon,"  for  Galveston,  Texas,  and  arrived  in 
Galveston  Bay  on  the  24th.  The  Colonel  immediately  pro 
ceeded  to  the  gunboat  "  Westfield,"  to  consult  with  Commodore 
Renshaw,  then  in  command  of  the  blockading  fleet,  ofF- Galves 
ton  ;  and  by  his  advice,  added  to  that  of  the  commanding  officers 
of  all  the  gunboats  then  in  the  harbor,  to  land  at  once,  with  the 
most  positive  assurances  of  the  entire  safety  of  the  position,  a 
landing  wras  made. 

Jan.  1.  — The  enemy  advanced  with  artillery  upon  this  small 
force,  two  or  three  attempts  to  capture  the  position  being 
handsomely  repulsed ;  while  four  rebel  gunboats  and  a  rani 
were  making  for  the  fleet  and  succeeded  in  capturing  the  "  Har 
riet  Lane,"  after  a  short  but  fierce  and  determined  encasement. 

o      O 

A  flag  of  truce  was  raised  by  the  enemy  on  the  "  Harriet  Lane" 
and  on  shore.  This  was  responded  to  by  the  several  gunboats, 
and  finally  by  Colonel  Burrill  on  the  wharf.  Colonel  Burrill, 
not  having  any  information  as  to  the  cause  for  the  flags  of  truce, 
and  being  desirous  of  communicating  with  the  fleet  to  ascertain 
the  reason,  ordered  Adjutant  Davis  to  proceed  to  the  flag-ship, 
to  obtain  the  information,  also  to  get  the  gunboats  to  come  up 
to  the  wharf,  and  take  off  his  command,  the  enemy  being  too 
strong  for  him  to  contend  with  on  shore. 

Adjutant  Davis,  while  awaiting  the  answer  to  his  commu 
nication,  saw,  from  the  deck  of  the  gunboat,  Colonel  Burrill 
and  his  command  marched  off  prisoners  of  war.  Finding  all  hope 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  EEGIMENTS.  453 

of  saving  the  men  of  the  Forty-second  thus  cut  off,  and  being 
informed  by  Commander  Law  that  the  gunboats  would  proceed 
to  sea  immediately,  Adjutant  Davis  remained  with  the  fleet, 
and  proceeded  to  New  Orleans  to  report  to  Major-General 
Banks  the  results  of  the  unfortunate  expedition.  When  Col 
onel  Burrill  offered  his  sword  to  the  officer  designated  by 
General  Magruder  to  receive  the  surrender,  he  was  desired  to 
keep  it,  in  respect  to  his  brave  and  able  defence  of  his  posi 
tion  against  such  an  overwhelming  force  ;  and,  on  being  in 
formed  that  the  little  band  that  stood  before  them  were  all 
the  troops  there,  the  rebels  could  scarcely  believe  it,  and  were 
surprised  they  had  held  their  position  so  well  and  so  long. 

In  respect  for  their  courage  and  bravery,  it  was  ordered,  that 
all  private  property  of  privates,  as  well  as  officers,  should  be 
respected  ;  a  fact  rarely  equalled  in  the  history  of  the  war. 
The  prisoners  were  then  sent  to  Houston,  where  they  arrived 
Jan.  20,  1863  and  remained  until  the  22d,  when  all  the  en 
listed  men  that  were  able  left  Houston,  marched  across  the 
country,  and  were  paroled  and  sent  down  the  Red  River  and  the 
Mississippi  to  the  Union  lines.  Repeated  efforts  were  made, 
after  their  arrival  at  "Camp  Fair,"  to  effect  their  exchange,  but 
with  no  avail ;  and  they  were  obliged  to  remain  inactive  till 
the  expiration  of  their  term  of  service. 

On  the  13th  of  January,  1863,  the  remaining  seven  com 
panies,  under  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stedman,  by  order  of  Major- 
General  Jcnks,  were  attached  to  the  Second  Brigade,  commanded 
by  Colonel  Farr  of  the  Twenty-sixth  Massachusetts  Volunteers, 
of  the  Second  Division,  commanded  by  Brigadier-General  Sher 
man,  of  the  Nineteenth  Corps. 

On  the  15th  of  January,  by  orders  from  headquarters  De 
fences  of  New  Orleans,  two  companies  were  detached,  and 
ordered  to  report  to  Major  Houston,  chief  engineer  of  the 
Department  of  the  Gulf.  Ordered  to  "  Camp  Parapet,"  under 
command  of  Captain  Leonard,  who  was  ordered  to  lay  out  and 
build  a  bastioned  redoubt,  to  form  a  portion  of  the  "Defences  of 
New  Orleans."  Under  the  immediate  direction  of  Lieutenant 
Long,  of  the  United  States  Engineer  Corps,  this  work  began 
Jan.  30,  employing  large  numbers  of  contrabands,  and  continued 


454  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

during  the  whole  term  of  their  detached  service.  Captain  Leon 
ard  was  ordered  to  organize,  from  among  the  contrabands  then 
at  work,  a  regiment  of  engineers,  to  be  known  as  the  First 
Louisiana  Engineers.  The  regiment  consisted  of  twelve  com 
panies,  of  one  hundred  men  each,  and  was  commanded  by 
Colonel  Justin  Hodge,  U.S.A.  It  was  ordered  to  Port  Hud 
son,  where  it  took  an  important  part  in  the  subsequent  siege  of 
that  place. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  Captain  Davis  and  Lieutenant 
Duncan  were  detached  from  the  regiment,  and  ordered  to  re 
port  to  the  Provost-Marshal-General,  Department  of  the  Gulf, 
where  they  met  with  marked  success,  and  were  honorably 
spoken  of  by  the  general  in  command.  Quartermaster  Burrill 
was  detached  to  serve  as  brigade-quartermaster,  and  attached  to 
the  staff,  where  he  served  with  entire  satisfaction,  until  Colonel 
Farr  was  relieved  of  the  command  of  the  brigade. 

On  the  26th  of  January,  five  companies,  then  at  "Camp 
Mansfield/'  were  ordered  to  take  post  at  a  point  on  thePonchar- 
train  Railroad,  known  as  Bayou  Gentilly. 

Feb.  16.  —  A  company,  under  command  of  First-Lieutenant 
Harding,  was  attached  to  the  Engineer  Department  of  the 
Nineteenth  Corps,  as  pontoniers.  On  the  10th  of  March,  the 
company  moved,  via  Baton  Rouge,  to  Bayou  Monticeno, 
where  they  laid  a  bridge  one  hundred  feet  long.  On  the 
loth,  the  army  commenced  crossing,  and  advanced  on  the  Port 
Hudson  road.  On  the  15th,  the  army  recrossed ;  the  com 
pany  took  up  the  bridge,  and  returned  to  Baton  Rouge.  On 
the  6th  of  April,  they  moved  to  Brashear  City,  and  laid  a 
bridge  three  hundred  feet  long  on  Bayou  Brcuf;  on  the 
12th,  they  swung  a  bridge  across  Bayou  Teche,  and  proceeded 
to  remove  obstructions,  torpedoes,  &c.,in  the  stream.  Moving 
with  the  advance  of  the  army,  on  the  26th  they  reached  Sandy 
Creek,  near  Port  Hudson,  and  laid  a  bridge  two  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  long,  under  a  hot  fire  from  the  guns  of  the  fort  and 
the  rebel  sharpshooters.  After  the  occupation  of  Port  Hudson, 
they  proceeded  to  Donaldsville  in  an  expedition  under  General 
Grover,  where  they  laid  a  bridge  twro  hundred  and  eighty  feet 
long  across  Bayou  Lafourche. 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  455 

On  the  5th  of  April,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Stedman  was 
placed  in  command  of  all  the  stations  on  Bayous  Gentilly  and 
St.  John,  Lakeport,  and  the  bayous  dependent  on  the  same. 

During  the  months  of  April  and  May,  only  two  companies 
were  left  at  headquarters  ;  though  their  numbers  were  small 
from  constant  details  for  various  detached  duties,  yet  a  regular 
system  of  drill  was  kept  up.  The  post  was  deemed  of  the 
utmost  importance  by  General  Sherman,  and  Colonel  Stedman 
was  ordered  to  use  the  strictest  vigilance  and  care  in  the  man 
agement  of  its  affairs . 

June  9. — A  detachment  of  one  hundred  men,  under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Cook,  were  ordered  to  Brashear  City,  where 
they  were  attached  to  a  battalion  under  command  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Stickney,  of  the  Forty-seventh  Massachusetts  Volun 
teers. 

June  20.  —  Twenty  men  of  this  detachment  were  ordered, 
under  command  of  First-Sergeant  Ballou,  on  board  a  gunboat, 
to  accompany  her  on  a  short  trip  as  sharpshooters.  It  having 
been  reported  that  the  post  at  Lafourche  Crossing  was  about  to 
be  attacked,  the  remainder  of  the  detachment  was  ordered  to 
that  place  under  command  of  First-Lieutenant  Tinkham. 

An  engagement  took  place  the  following  day  ;  and,  although 
the  enemy  was  superior  in  numbers,  was  forced  to  retreat, 
leaving  their  dead  and  wounded  on  the  field.  The  good 
management  and  energy  of  Lieutenant  Tinkham  in  this  affair 
are  to  be  commended. 

The  loss  was  twelve  killed  and  forty  wounded. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  the  enemy  attacked  and  succeeded  in 
capturing  the  garrison  at  Brashear  City,  among  whom  was  a 
detachment  of  forty-six  men  of  this  regiment,  who  maintained 
an  effective  resistance  for  nearly  two  hours  to  a  rebel  force  of 
over  three  hundred  mounted  men.  First-Sergeant  Ballou, 
commanding,  was  severely  wounded;  one  man  killed,  three 
wounded. 

June  21.  —  The  regiment  moved  to  the  city  of  New  Orleans, 
where  it  -took  post  at  the  Custom  House.  From  the  14th  to 
the  29th  of  July,  it  was  on  picket  duty  on  the  line  of  the 
Opelousas  Railroad. 


456  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Julv  31. The  regiment  was  ordered  North,  and  arrived  at 

New  York  Aug.  8,  proceeding  to  Boston,  and  was  mustered 
out  of  service  at  Readville,  Aug.  20,  1863. 

The  Forty-third  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  North 
Carolina.  It  left  the  State  Oct.  24,  1862,  and  reached  New- 
bern  about  Nov.  1. 

On  arriving,  it  was  ordered  to  camp  on  the  banks  of  the 
Trent  River,  Nov.  30 ;  two  companies  were  detached  and 
ordered  to  Beaufort,  N.C.,  under  command  of  Captain  Fowlc, 
where  they  remained  till  March  4,  1863. 

The  regiment  joined  the  expedition  to  Goldsborough,  tinder 
Major-General  Foster.  It  was  under  fire  Dec.  14,  at  the  battle 
of  Kinston,  but,  fortunately,  without  any  injury. 

Dec.  16.  — It  was  again  under  fire,  at  the  battle  of  Whitehall, 
where  it  lost  one  killed,  and  three  or  four  wounded. 

Dec.  17.  —  It  was  detached  from  the  main  column,  and  sent, 
with  a  section  of  artillery  and  one  company  of  cavalry,  to 
Spring  Bank  Bridge,  where  the  enemy  was  found  in  small 
force.  It  drove  them  across  the  bridge,  and  then  burned  it, 
losing  one  man  killed,  one  wounded ;  and  was  afterwards 
ordered  to  join  the  main  column  on  its  return  from  Golds- 
borough. 

In  January,  18G3,  detachments  from  the  regiments  were  sent 
out  on  picket  duty  at  Bacheller's  Creek  and  Evans's  Mills. 

On  the  17th,  the  regiment,  with  other  forces,  marched  on 
Trenton  ;  and  afterwards  was  ordered  to  Rocky  Run  to  relieve 
the  Twenty-filth  Regiment. 

April  7. — It  joined  an  expedition  under  Brigadier-General 
Spinola,  for  the  relief  of  Little  Washington.  It  came  up  with 
the  enemy  at  Blount's  Creek.  After  a  short  artillery  duel,  —  the 
regiment  supporting  a  battery,  — it  was  ordered  to  retreat. 

April  11.  —  It  proceeded  to  the  blockade,  on  Pamlico  River, 
on  a  call  for  volunteers  to  man  three  schooners  loaded  with  pro 
visions  and  ammunition,  to  run  the  blockade;  thirty  men  of 
this  regiment  were  selected.  They  succeeded  in  doing  it ;  were 
highly  complimented  for  their  skill  and  bravery  by  the  com 
manding  general.  One  man  wounded. 

During  April,   the   regiment    was   detailed   for  garrison   and 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  457 

picket  duty  at  Little  Washington,  and  was  afterwards  ordered 
to  Newbern,  where  it  remained  until  June  24,  during  which 
time  heavy  details  were  made  from  it  to  build  fortifications, 
military  roads,  &c.  It  was  ordered  to  Fortress  Monroe,  to  re 
port  to  General  Dix.  At  the  colonel's  request,  orders  were 
received  to  proceed  to  Baltimore,  and  report  to  General  Schenck. 
Arriving  there,  it  remained  at  "Camp  Bradford"  until  July  7, 
when  it  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Naglee,  who,  under 
standing  there  was  some  dissatisfaction  in  the  regiment  on  ac 
count  of  the  expiration  of  its  term  of  service,  issued  an  order, 
leaving  it  optional  with  the  men  to  go  to  the  front,  or  return 
home.  Under  this  order,  two  hundred  and  three  officers  and 
men  voted  to  go  to  the  front.  The  others  came  home,  to  receive 
a  cold  welcome  from  their  friends.  Those  who  remained  pro 
ceeded  to  Sandy  Hook,  Md.,  where  they  arrived  July  9,  where 
they  remained  doing  provost  duty  until  the  18th,  when  an  order 
was  received,  highly  complimenting  the  regiment  for  the  excel 
lent  manner  in  which  it  performed  its  duties,  and  directing  it  to 
proceed  to  Boston  to  be  mustered  out  of  service.  It  arrived 
at  Boston  July  21,  and  was  mustered  out  on  the  23d. 

The  Forty-fourth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  North 
Carolina.  It  arrived  at  Newbern  Oct.  26,  1862.  Upon  its 
arrival,  it  was  ordered  to  report  to  Colonel  T.  G.  Steven 
son,  commanding  brigade,  and  started  with  the  brigade  upon 
the  Tarborough  expedition  Oct.  30. 

Nov.  2. — It  took  part  in  a  skirmish  on  Williamston  road, 
losing  two  men  killed,  and  seven  wounded.  It  started  on  the 
Goldsborough  expedition  Dec.  11,  and  was  present  at  the  battle 
of  Kinston  on  the  14th.  It  was  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
Whitehall  Bridge  on  the  16th,  losing  eight  killed  and  four 
teen  wounded ;  and  was  in  the  reserve  at  battle  of  Golds- 
borough  on  the  17th,  arriving  at  Newbern  on  the  20th. 

The  regiment  shared  in  the  various  expeditions  sent  out  from 
Newbern.  It  took  part  in  the  siege  of  Washington,  N.C.,  in 
April,  1863.  On  the  17th,  three  companies,  under  command 
of  Major  Dabney,  supported  by  gunboat  "  Commodore  Hull," 
landed  at  Stile's  Point,  and  occupied  the  rebel  battery,  destroy 
ing  portions  of  their  work,  and  building  the  entrenchments 
necessary  to  guard  against  an  attack  from  the  land  side. 


458  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  regiment,  after  the  24th  of  April,  did  provost  duty  at 
Newborn,  until  June  6,  when  it  left  for  Boston,  and  was  mus 
tered  out  of  service  at  Readville,  June  18,  1863. 

It  was  called  out  to  assist  in  suppressing  draft-riot,  July  14, 
18(33,  and  dismissed  July  21. 

The  regiment  was  fortunate  enough  to  serve  under  brigade 
and  division  generals  who  won,  not  only  the  respect,  but  the 
love,  of  all  who  served  under  them.  Brigadier-Generals 
Stevenson  and  Wessells  were  men  whose  fidelity  to  duty,  unre- 
mittino'  care  for  the  welfare  of  their  men,  and  entire  self- 

O 

forgetfulness,  always  gave  the  best  stimulus  to  the  men  of  their 
command. 

To  the  corps  commander,  Major-General  Foster,  the  regi 
ment  owes  its  gratitude  for  his  many  proofs  of  confidence  and 
acts  of  kindness  ;  for  the  ready  knowledge,  wise  precaution, 
steady  nerve,  and  the  inspiring,  cheerful  pluck,  which  so  largely 
contributed  to  the  successful  issue  of  its  service  at  Washing- 

O 

ton,  N.C.,  in  April,  1863. 

Among  the  losses,  none  fell  more  heavily  than  when,  in 
Washington,  April  11,  1863,  the  well-beloved  surgeon,  Robert 
Ware,  was  followed  to  the  grave.  He  was  a  victim  to  the  very 
disease  from  which  he  had  rescued  so  many  of  the  helpless 
and  dependent  people  who  were  dying  about  him. 

The  Forty-fifth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  North 
Carolina.  It  arrived  at  Newbern  Nov.  5,  1862.  It  was  as 
signed  to  the  brigade  commanded  by  Colonel  T.  J.  C.  Amory, 
which  was  composed  of  the  Twenty-third  and  Seventeenth  Mas 
sachusetts  Volunteers.  The  Forty-third  and  Fifty-first  Massa 
chusetts  Volunteers  were  afterwards  added.  The  regiment 

o 

remained  encamped  on  the  Trent,  south  of  Newbern,  until  the 
12th  of  December,  during  which  time  the  men  were  thoroughly 
drilled,  and  exercised  in  battalion  and  brigade  movements. 

Eight  companies  of  the  regiment  marched  as  a  portion  of 
General  Foster's  force  upon  the  expedition  to  Goldsborough, 
two  companies  previously  having  been  sent  out  on  garrison 
duty  to  Fort  Macon  and  Morehead  City. 

Upon  the  14th  of  December,  it  was  engaged  at  the  battle  of 
Kinston,  and  sustained  severe  loss,  —  fifteen  men  killed,  and 


459 

forty-three  wounded.  The  soldiers  behaved  with  the  greatest 
steadiness  and  gallantry,  and,  though  exposed  to  a  galling  cross 
fire,  advanced  resolutely  through  a  dense  wood  and  swamp  upon 
the  enemy,  who  were  unable  to  withstand  the  attack. 

On  the  16th  of  December,  it  suffered  again  at  the  battle  of 
Whitehall,  with  a  loss  of  four  killed,  and  sixteen  wounded. 
Among  the  killed  was  the  gallant  Sergeant  Parkman,  of 
Boston,  who  bore  the  United  States  colors. 

The  army  returned  to  Newbern  after  the  battle  of  Golds- 
borough,  in  which  the  Forty-fifth  was  not  actively  engaged. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  1863,  the  brigade  proceeded  upon 
a  reconnoissance  towards  Trenton,  for  five  days ;  after  which, 
until  April  25,  it  acted  as  provost-guard  in  Newbern. 

On  the  28th  of  April,  two  companies,  commanded  by  Cap 
tains  Minot  and  Tap  pan,  under  the  orders  of  Major  Sturgis, 
were  sent  on  an  expedition  up  the  Atlantic  and  North  Carolina 
Railroad,  to  endeavor  to  ascertain  the  strength  of  the  enemy. 
Captain  Bumstead's  company  was  directed  to  proceed  to  the 
cross-road  leading  to  the  Dover  road,  to  explore,  and  commu 
nicate  with  Brigadier-General  Palmer,  whose  column  was  on 
that  road.  The  remainder  of  the  troops  immediately  started 
upon  the  expedition,  the  enemy  being  reported  in  some  force  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  junction.  An  engagement  took  place, 
resulting  in  the  defeat  of  the  enemy ;  and  the  colors  of  the  regi 
ment  were  planted  upon  their  works. 

During  the  remainder  of  the  term  of  service,  the  regiment 
remained  encamped  near  Fort  Spinola  ;  and,  on  June  24,  it 
proceeded  to  Morehead  City,  and  embarked  for  Boston,  and 
was  mustered  out  of  service  at  Readville  July  8,  1863. 

The  Forty-sixth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  North 
Carolina.  It  arrived  at  Newbern  Nov.  15,  and  was  assigned  to 
the  brigade  commanded  by  Colonel  Horace  C.  Lee,  of  the 
Twenty-seventh  Massachusetts. 

Having  encamped  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Neuse  River,  very 
soon  after  its  arrival  two  companies  were  detached  from  the 
regiment,  and  assigned  to  outpost  duty  at  Newport  Barracks, 
Captain  Spooner  taking  command  of  the  post. 

The  regiment  was  occupied  in  perfecting  itself  in  drill  until 


460  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

the  organization  of  the  Goldsborough  expedition  in  December, 
in  which,  and  the  engagements  with  the  enemy  that  occurred  in 
the  successful  movement,  it  took  part ;  after  which  it  returned 
to  its  old  duties  in  camp  until  Jan.  23,  1863. 

The  two  detached  companies  rejoined  the  regiment ;  the  drill 
continued  ;  and,  daily,  large  fatigue  parties  were  detailed  for 
the  work  of  fortification,  until  March  13  ;  the  enemy  began 
what  seemed  a  determined  attempt  to  repossess  himself  of 
Newbern,  in  resistance  to  which  the  Forty-sixth  was  assigned 
an  honorable  position,  the  enemy  demonstrating  in  great  force  on 
the  Trent  road.  When  upon  the  eve  of  an  encounter,  General 
Foster  recalled  the  main  portion  of  the  forces  to  the  city,  the 
enemy  having  attacked  an  outpost  on  the  northerly  side  of  the 
]STeuse.  This  regiment,  with  the  Fifth  Massachusetts,  were  at 
once  withdrawn  by  General  Palmer,  commanding  the  division, 
and  assigned  a  position  within  the  lines  of  the  entrenchments. 

On  the  14th,  it  was  sent  out  upon  the  same  road  to  reinforce 
Colonel  Amory,  but  had  only  to  observe  and  follo\v  a  retreating 
enemy.  After  three  days'  pursuit,  the  regiment  returned  to  its 
quiet  routine  until  March  26,  when,  with  the  exception  of  t\vo 
companies,  it  was  sent  to  Plymouth,  N.C.,  an  important  post 
on  the  Roanoke  River,  threatened  by  a  force  of  the  enemy. 
The  whole  land  force  was  immediately  applied  under  command  of 
Colonel  Pickett,  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Massachusetts,  a  brave 
and  efficient  officer,  to  the  work  of  perfecting  the  fortifica 
tions  of  the  post.  During  the  eighteen  days'  siege  of  Washing 
ton,  and  always  within  hearing  of  its  cannonading,  the  force  at 
Plymouth,  anxious  for  the  result,  and  confidently  waiting  its 
turn,  was  occupied  in  constructing  fortifications,  and  preparing 
for  defence  against  a  daily  expected  attack  ;  but  the  defeated 
and  discouraged  enemy  retired,  and  Plymouth  was  thoroughly 
fortified  undisturbed. 

The  regiment  \vent  into  barracks  on  the  Neuse  River,  May 
8,  and  was  employed  in  the  construction  of  earthworks  and 
other  means  of  defence,  at  Newbern,  during  the  remainder  of 
its  stay,  with  the  exception  of  the  period  occupied  in  the  expe 
dition  and  successful  attack  upon  the  enemy's  outposts  at  Dover 
Swamp,  eight  miles  from  Kinston,  in  which  it  took  part. 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  KEGIMENTS.  461 

During  the  absence  of  the  regiment  at  Plymouth,  the  de 
tachment  left  at  Newbern  took  active  part  in  the  defence  of 
Xewbern  against  the  second  threatened  attack,  and  was  also 
assigned  to  outpost  duty,  at  Bachelder's  Creek,  being  attached 
to  the  command  of  Colonel  Jones,  commanding  the  line  of  out 
posts,  and  rendering  a  most  gallant  service  in  holding  the 
position  against  an  attack  made  by  a  large  force  of  the  enemy 
on  May  23,  for  which  they  have  failed  to  receive  their  full  meed 
of  praise,  because  of  the  death  of  the  much-lamented  Colonel 
Jones,  who  was  killed  in  the  defence  of  the  post. 

The  stanch  courage  of  Captain  Tifft  is  put  on  record,  who, 
in  a  most  trying  position,  held  his  ground  when  the  whole  force 
of  Colonel  Jones,  demoralized  by  the  death  of  their  colonel, 
fell  back  and  left  him,  with  his  small  force,  until  he  was  dis 
covered  by  a  reconnoitring  party,  and  relieved. 

The  nine  months'  service,  reckoning  from  the  date  of  their 
muster  into  service  of  five  of  the  companies  of  the  Forty- 
sixth  Regiment,  expired  on  the  25th  of  June.  It  had  been 
decided  at  the  War  Department,  that  the  term  must  be 
reckoned  from  the  day  of  muster-in  of  the  last  or  tenth  com 
pany.  This  giving  dissatisfaction  on  account  of  lengthening 
the  terms  of  several  other  of  the  nine  months'  regiments,  Gen 
eral  Foster  issued  a  circular,  leaving  it  to  the  option  of  the  men 
to  go  home  or  remain.  The  Forty-sixth  remained.  Over  one 
hundred  of  the  regiment  re-enlisted,  under  command  of  Colonel 
Frankle,  who  was  recruiting  at  Newbern  his  regiment  of  heavy 
artillery. 

On  the  23d  of  June,  orders  were  received  to  report  to 
General  Halleck,  at  Washington,  for  orders.  General  Dix 
being  engaged  in  a  demonstration  on  Richmond,  the  destination 
was  to  join  him,  with  several  other  nine  months'  regiments 
sent  forward  by  General  Foster ;  but,  it  being  ascertained  that 
General  Dix  did  not  desire  troops  whose  term  of  service  had 
so  nearly  expired,  General  Naglee,  having  telegraphed  to  Gen 
eral  Halleck,  proposed  that  the  regiments  volunteer  for  service 
in  Pennsylvania ;  and  the  Forty-sixth  was  ordered  to  report  to 
General  Schenck.  The  regiments  reached  Baltimore  July  1, 
and  were  assigned  to  the  brigade  of  General  Tyler,  command- 


462  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

ino;  the  exterior  defences  of  Baltimore,  and  were  stationed  at 
"  Camp  Bradford,"  where  they  were  employed  in  patrol  and 
guard  duty,  remaining  till  July  6. 

The  brigade  was  ordered  to  occupy  and  hold  Maryland 
Heights,  and  arrived  there  July  7  ;  remaining  on  picket  duty  on 
the  Sharpsburg  road  until  the  llth,  when,  with  the  rest  of  Gen 
eral  Briggs's  brigade,  it  was  ordered  to  join  the  main  Army  of 
the  Potomac.  It  joined  the  First  Corps,  and  remained,  momen 
tarily  expecting  offensive  or  defensive  movements,  until  the  day 
that  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  crossed  the  river  at  Berlin, 
when  orders  unexpectedly  came  to  proceed  to  Massachusetts, 
there  to  be  mustered  out.  It  reached  Springfield  on  the  21st  of 
July,  when  it  was  mustered  out  of  service  by  Captain  Gardner. 

The  Forty -seventh  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the 
Gulf.  It  arrived  at  New  Orleans,  and  reported  to  General 
Banks  Jan.  1,  1863  ;  was  then  referred  to  General  Auger, 
who  gave  orders  to  proceed  to  Carrollton,  and  report  to  General 
Sherman. 

The  regiment  was  ordered,  Jan.  11,  to  the  United-States 
barracks,  to  relieve  the  Thirtieth  Massachusetts  ;  and  the  colonel 
was  put  in  command  of  the  post. 

Feb.  4.  — It  was  ordered  to  the  Louisiana  Cotton  Press,  and 
one  company  detached  for  provost  duty  at  Thibodeux. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Stickney,  who  had  distinguished  himself 
in  two  engagements  at  Thibodeux,  and  Major  Cushman,  were 
detailed  for  special  duty.  The  latter  had  an  important  position 
upon  the  Sequestration  Committee,  where  his  legal  ability  and 
business  qualification  made  him  eminently  useful  to  the  Govern 
ment. 

March  12.  —  The  regiment  was  ordered  to  the  Metaire  Race 
course,  the  most  unhealthy  spot  in  all  the  South.  The  colonel 
was  in  command  of  the  post ;  and  it  soon  gained  a  most  excel 
lent  reputation  for  discipline  and  drill,  remaining  there  ten 
weeks  without  a  guard  to  keep  the  men  inside  the  lines. 

May  19. — It  was  ordered  to  "Camp  Parapet,"  to  relieve 
General  Dorr,  and  the  colonel  to  take  command  of  the  United- 
States  forces  at  that  place,  and  its  defences.  The  colonel  re 
cruited  a  company  of  colored  men  to  be  used  in  the  swamps, 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  4G3 

which  became  the  nucleus  of  the  Second  Regiment  of  Engineers, 
and  was  largely  officered  by  members  of  the  Forty-seventh. 
The  lines  of  defence  were  thirty  miles  long.  The  immediate 
defences  consisted  of  a  parapet  two  and  a  half  miles  long,  and 
a  canal  and  military  road  to  be  guarded  and  scouted  a  distance 
of  twelve  to  seventeen  miles,  through  the  swamps  to  the  lake. 
This  important  post  was  held  under  peculiar  circumstances  dur 
ing  the  siege  of  Port  Hudson. 

As  there  were  six  hospitals  belonging  to  the  different  regi 
ments,  the  services  of  Doctors  Blackmer  and  Mercer,  as  well  as 
of  the  chaplain,  Rev.  E.  W.  Clark,  cannot  be  too  highly  men 
tioned.  All  soldiers  connected  with  the  Forty-seventh,  or  under 
command  of  its  colonel,  received  at  their  decease  a  Christian 
burial. 

The  regiment  was  ordered  home  on  the  third  day  of  August, 
arrived  at  Boston  by  rail  via  Cairo,  111.  ;  at  Readville,  Sept.  1, 
was  mustered  out  of  service. 

The  regiment  lost  by  death,  during  its  absence,  twenty-three, 
and  left  forty-seven  at  New  Orleans  unable  to  corne  to  land.  It 
had  one  hundred  and  ten  officers  and  men  detailed  on  special 
service  most  of  the  time,  who  filled  some  of  the  most  impor 
tant  and  useful  positions  in  connection  with  the  department. 

The  Forty-eighth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the 
Gulf.  'It  arrived  at  New  Orleans  Feb.  1,  1863,  and  was  sent 
to  Baton  Rouge  as  a  part  of  the  First  Brigade,  First  Division, 
of  Major-General  Auger  commanding. 

March  13.  —  An  important  reconnoissance  was  made  towards 
Port  Hudson,  in  which  this  regiment  participated.  The  object 
of  the  expedition  having  been  successfully  accomplished,  the 
next  day  it  formed  the  rearguard  of  the  baggage-train ;  the 
whole  Nineteenth  Corps  having  marched  towards  Port  Hudson, 
for  the  purpose  of  making  a  diversion,  while  Admiral  Farragut 
attempted  to  pass  a  portion  of  his  fleet  above  the  batteries. 

The  regiment  remained  at  Baton  Rouge,  employed  in  the 
usual  routine  of  camp  duties,  until  May  18,  when  it  was  or 
dered  to  report  to  Colonel  Dudley,  in  command  of  the  Third 
Brigade,  in  camp  at  Merritt's  Plantation. 

May  21.  — The  whole  force  of  General  Auger  having  been 


464  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

brought  together,  the  line  of  march  was  taken  for  Port  Hudson. 
A  section  of  Arnold's  Battery  was  put  upon  the  road  leading 
directly  from  the  Store  into  Port  Hudson  ;  and  the  Forty-eighth 
was  ordered  to  support  it.  It  had  hardly  taken  its  position 
when  the  enemy  opened  upon  it  with  shot  and  shell  from  cov 
ered  o-uns.  This  was  the  first  time  the  regiment  was  under 
fire  ;  it  lost  two  killed,  seven  wounded,  eleven  prisoners. 

In  the  general  assault,  on  May  27th,  a  call  was  made  in  Gen 
eral  Auger's  division  for  volunteers  to  a  storming  party  of  two 
hundred  men.  From  the  Forty-eighth,  ninety-two  men  volun 
teered  ;  among  whom  were  Lieutenant-Colonel  O'Brien,  five 
captains,  eleven  lieutenants,  fourteen  non-commissioned  officers, 
and  sixty-three  privates.  In  this  battle,  the  regiment  lost  seven 
killed  and  forty-one  wounded.  Among  the  killed  was  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  O'Brien.  He  fell  early  in  the  engagement,  pierced 
by  a  rifle-shot,  as  he  turned  to  cheer  forward  the  storming  party 
he  was  leading.  He  was  a  brave  soldier,  a  generous  com 
panion  and  friend,  and  a  true-hearted  patriot. 

June  5.  —  The  regiment  was  sent  to  the  Plains  Store  for  rear 
guard  duty.  On  the  14th,  having  reported  to  General  D wight, 
it  formed  a  part  of  the  assaulting  column  under  command  of 
Colonel  Benedict.  In  that  engagement  it  lost  two  killed  and 
eleven  wounded.  The  next  day,  it  was  ordered  back  to  its 
brigade,  and  shared  all  the  exposure  and  hardships  of  the  siege 
of  Port  Hudson. 

In  the  engagement  at  Donalds ville  on  the  13th  July,  the 
Third  Brigade,  under  command  of  Colonel  Dudley,  suffered 
considerably.  The  loss  in  the  Forty-eighth  was  three  killed, 
seven  wounded,  twenty-three  taken  prisoners. 

On  Aug.  1,  the  regiment  returned  to  its  camp  at  Baton 
Rouge,  having  left  it  seventy-four  days  previous,  in  light  march- 
in  jj  order. 

O 

Aug.  9. --The  Forty-eighth  started  for  Boston  via  Cairo, 
where  it  arrived  Aug.  23,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service  Sept. 
3,  at  "  Camp  Lander." 

The  Forty-ninth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the 
Gulf.  It  left  New  York  Jan.  24,  1863,  by  transport  for  New 
Orleans,  where  it  arrived  about  Feb.  3.  From  thence  it  was 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  465 

sent  to  Carrollton,  and  then  to  Baton  Rouge,  where  it  was  at 
tached  to  the  First  Brigade,  Colonel  Chapin  commanding,  and 
Auger's  division. 

March  14.  —  The  regiment  participated  in  the  feigned  advance 
of  General  Banks's  forces  on  Port  Hudson,  and,  in  the  retreat, 
was  left  at  Bayou  Monticeno,  to  hold  the  bridge  until  all  the 
baggage-trains  had  passed  over.  It  shortly  after  returned 
to  Baton  Rouge,  and  for  some  time  had  no  active  duty,  except 
in  doing  guard  duty  to  baggage-trains,  and  provost-guard  duty 
in  Baton  Rouge. 

About  the  middle  of  May,  it  advanced  with  General  Auger's 
division  towards  Port  Hudson  ;  and,  on  the  21st,  it  participated 
in  the  battle  of  Plains  Store,  and  won  General  Auger's  com 
mendation,  and  especially  distinguished  itself  by  its  steadiness 
under  fire,  and  by  its  promptness  in  re-forming  its  lines  when 
broken  by  the  hasty  retreat  of  another  regiment.  In  this 
affair  only  five  of  the  regiment  were  wounded.  Among  them 
was  Lieutenant  Tucker,  commanding  the  brigade,  who  lost 
his  leg. 

May  27.  —  It  participated  in  the  first  assault  upon  Port  Hud 
son,  in  which  it  lost  seventy-six  killed  and  wounded,  being  one- 
third  of  the  regiment  engaged  ;  three  companies  having  been  on 
special  service.  It  lost,  in  this  assault,  as  large  a  proportion  as 
any  other  regiment,  and  established  its  reputation  for  cool  and 
steady  bravery.  The  brave  and  intrepid  Colonel  Bartlett  was  un 
fortunately  shot  through  the  wrist  and  heel  early  in  the  engage 
ment,  while  leading  the  regiment  to  the  assault  on  horseback. 
He  had  previously  lost  a  leg  in  Virginia.  Lieutenant-  Colonel 
Sumner  was  wounded.  Lieutenants  Judd  and  Deming  were 
killed  while  gallantly  cheering  on  their  men.  Eleven  of  the 

eighteen  officers  with  the  regiment  were  wounded.      The  COm- 

cs  o 

mand  of  the  regiment  devolved  on  Major  Plunkett,  after  the 
wounding  of  his  superior  officers,  and  continued  under  his  com 
mand  during  the  remainder  of  its  term  of  service,  —  a  command 
which  he  held  with  reat  credit  to  himself,  and  honor  to  the 


regiment. 


On  the  14th  of  June,  it  made,  with  the  rest  of  Auger's  divi 
sion,  a  feigned  assault  upon  the  rebel  works,  and  lost  eighteen 

30 


466  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    IlEBELLION. 

men  killed  and  wounded.  During  the  entire  investment  of  Port 
Hudson,  the  regiment  was  in  the  front  supporting  batteries,  and 
engaged  in  other  duties  of  the  siege  until  the  surrender,  July  9, 
1^6;>.  Immediately  thereafter,  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Don- 
aldsville,  with  two  brigades,  under  command  of  Colonel 
Dudley.  On  the  loth  of  July,  they  marched  up  the  Bayou 
Lafourehe.  AVhile  preparing  to  encamp,  the  Union  forces  were 
attacked  by  a  large  force  of  rebels.  The  Forty-ninth  was  sent 
forward  to  support  a  battery,  and,  owing  to  the  falling-back  of 
the  rest  of  the  forces,  was  nearly  surrounded.  By  making  a 
circuit  of  three  miles  through  cornfields,  it  succeeded  in  joining 
the  rest  of  Colonel  Dudley's  command,  with  a  loss  of  twenty- 
two  killed,  wounded,  and  missing.  Except  participating  in 
several  short  expeditions,  the  regiment  had  no  further  active 
service  until  its  return  home.  It  reached  Pittsfield,  Mass., 
Aug.  21,  having  returned  via  the  Mississippi  River,  where  it 
was  publicly  received  with  much  enthusiasm  by  the  citizens  of 
Berkshire  County. 

By  special  permission  of  the  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth, 
the  colors  of  the  regiment  are  retained  in  the  county  in  the 
keeping  of  the  clerk  of  the  courts. 

The  record  of  the  regiment  is  an  honorable  one,  and  worthy 
of  the  revolutionary  fame  of  Berkshire  men. 

The  Fiftieth  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf. 
After  various  attempts  to  reach  its  destination  upon  unseaworthy 
transports,  it  succeeded  in  arriving  at  New  Orleans  in  the 
"Jenny  Lind "  and  "  Montebello,"  Jan.  27,  1863,  when  the 
small-pox  broke  out  among  a  portion  of  the  troops  on  board 
not  belonging  to  the  Fiftieth ;  for  which  reason  they  were 
ordered  to  the  quarantine-station,  twenty  miles  below  New 
Orleans.  A  portion  of  the  regiment  suffered  somewhat  from 
the  epidemic,  but  no  deaths  occurred  from  that  cause. 

Having  arrived  at  Baton  Rouge  on  the  14th  instant,  the  regi 
ment  WHS  assigned  to  the  command  of  acting  Brigadier-General 
Dudley,  of  the  First  Division,  Third  Brigade,  Nineteenth  Army 
Corps.  Preparations  were  immediately  made  for  increasing  the 
efficiency  of  the  regiment  by  constant  drills  and  strict  attention 
to  all  the  duties  of  a  soldier's  life. 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  467 

On  the  14th  of  March,  it  was  ordered  into  active  service,  and 
accompanied  the  entire  command  of  Major-General  Banks  on 
the  expedition  of  that  date  to  the  rear  of  Port  Hudson. 

Here  the  regiment  bivouacked  for  the  first  time  on  the  ever 
memorable  night  when,  by  the  strategical  movement  made  by 
General  Banks,  Admiral  Farragut  was  enabled  to  pass  the  bat 
teries  of  Port  Hudson. 

Having  returned  to  Baton  Rouge,  the  Third  Brigade  was  or 
dered  on  picket  duty  at  Winter's  Plantation,  on  the  opposite 
bank  of  the  Mississippi,  where  it  remained  till  the  26th  of 
March. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  four  companies  of  the  Fiftieth  accom 
panied  an  expedition,  about  six  hundred  strong,  under  command 
of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Everett,  of  the  Second  Louisiana  Regi 
ment,  to  the  Bayou  Monticeno,  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  a 
bridge,  which  was  accomplished  in  five  hours. 

On  the  12th  of  May,  the  regiment  marched  from  Baton 
Rouge  in  company  with  the  Third  Brigade  for  Port  Hudson, 
and  was  ordered  to  remain  at  White's  Bayou  while  the  forces 
were  concentrating,  and  surrounding  Port  Hudson  in  its  imme 
diate  rear  ;  after  w7hich,  the  Fiftieth  was  ordered  to  the  front, 
and,  on  the  27th,  was  engaged  in  the  assault  upon  Port  Hudson. 
From  this  time  until  June  14,  it  was  engaged  in  supporting 
batteries,  when  it  was  ordered  to  engage  in  the  assault,  but  was 
held  in  the  reserve  column,  and  did  not  participate  in  the  fight; 
after  which,  until  the  fortress  surrendered,  it  was  wholly  en 
gaged  in  supporting  batteries.  The  casualties  were  one  private 
mortally  and  three  slightly  wounded. 

On  the  8th  of  July,  it  marched  within  the  fortifications,  and 
did  garrison  duty  until  the  29th,  when  it  took  passage  up  the 
Mississippi  on  its  way  home ;  arrived  at  Cairo,  111.,  Aug.  5, 
and  proceeded  by  railroad  to  Boston,  and  was  mustered  out  of 
service  at  Wenham,  Aug.  24. 

The  Fifty-first  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  North 
Carolina.  After  a  rough  passage,  it  arrived  at  Beaufort,  N.C., 
Nov.  30  ;  proceeding  by  rail  to  Newbern,  where  it  went  into 
quarters  in  the  unfinished  barracks  on  the  south  side  of  Trent 
River.  It  was  assigned  to  the  brigade  commanded  by  Colonel 


468  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

T.  J.  C.  Amory,  and,  Dec.  11,  took  part  in  the  expedition  to 
Goldsborough. 

j)eCi  30.  —  Company  G  was  detached  to  perform  outpost 
duty  at  Brice's  Ferry.  This  post  was  garrisoned  by  this  com 
pany  as  long  as  the  regiment  remained  in  North  Carolina. 

Jan.  17,  1863.  —  Seven  companies  of  the  regiment  marched 
with  a  portion  of  the  First  Brigade  on  an  expedition  to  Pollocks- 
ville.  Having  accomplished  their  object  successfully,  and  hav 
ing  driven  back  the  enemy  at  White  Oak  Creek,  they  returned 
to  Newbern. 

On  the  20th  of  February,  the  regiment  suffering  severely 
from  a  steadily  increasing  sick  list,  six  companies  were  moved 
from  the  barracks  to  Deep  Gully,  as  a  sanitary  measure  ;  but,  the 
shelter  tents  proving  quite  insufficient  for  the  comfort  of  the 
men  suffering  from  malaria,  they  returned  in  a  week  to  the  bar 
racks. 

On  the  1st  of  March,  Colonel  Sprague,  with  his  regiment, 
was  ordered  to  relieve  the  companies  stationed  at  different  points 
along  the  railroad  between  Newbern  and  Morehead  City  ;  also 
those  at  Morehead  City,  Beaufort,  and  Evans'  Mills.  March 
30,  Colonel  Sprague,  in  addition  to  his  other  duties,  assumed 
command  of  the  post  at  Fort  Macon. 

On  the  4th  of  May,  the  regiment  returned  to  Newbern  greatly 
improved  in  health,  and  re-occupied  their  old  quarters  on  the 
Trent,  afterwards  removing  to  "  Camp  Wellington,"  near  the 
junction  of  the  Trent  and  the  Neuse. 

Some  misapprehension  having  arisen  concerning  the  time  of 
the  expiration  of  the  term  of  service  of  the  nine  months'  men, 
the  commissary  of  musters  for  the  Eighteenth  Corps  issued  a 
circular,  leaving  it  to  the  option  of  the  men  to  return  home 
or  remain  ;  and  no  company  of  the  regiment  signified  a  desire 

to  avail  themselves  of  the  offer  in  the  circular  to  £0. 

o 

The  Fifty-first,  on  the  24th  of  June,  was  offered,  with 
other  regiments,  to  General  Dix,  in  his  move  upon  Rich 
mond  ;  and,  with  the  exception  of  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
three  sick,  the  regiment  embarked  for  Fortress  Monroe,  and 
proceeded  to  Cumberland,  Va.,  on  the  Pamunkey.  After  their 
arrival  on  the  28th,  and  report  to  General  Dix,  he,  finding  the 


REGIMENTS.  469 

term  of  service  so  nearly  expired,  ordered  a  return  to  Fort 
ress  Monroe,  and  requisition  for  transportation  to  Massachu 
setts  to  be  mustered  out  of  service.  While  awaiting  transporta 
tion,  learning  the  critical  condition  of  affairs  in  Pennsylvania, 
the  colonel  commanding  authorized  General  Naglee  to  offer  the 
service  of  the  regiment  for  the  emergency  ;  and,  being  accepted, 
it  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Schenck  at  Baltimore,  who 
was  in  command  of  the  Middle  Department. 

Arriving  in  Baltimore  July  1,  it  was  ordered  to  occupy 
Belger  Barracks,  near  the  line  of  defences  of  Baltimore  in 
process  of  construction,  and  remained  there  till  the  6th,  per 
forming  fatkmino*  duties  and  much  hard  marchin"1. 

O  O  o  O 

July  5.  —  Six  companies,  under  command  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Studley,  were  detailed  to  escort  two  thousand  three 
hundred  rebel  prisoners,  taken  at  Gettysburg,  from  the  railroad 
station  to  Fort  McHenry. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  it  received  the  honor  of  being  detailed 
to  search  the  houses  of  the  citizens  of  Baltimore  for  arms,  in 
conjunction  with  the  city  police,  and  successfully  and  creditably 
performed  this  delicate  duty. 

On  the  6th  of  July,  having  temporarily  been  assigned  to 
the  brigade  of  Brigadier-General  Briggs,  it  was  ordered  to 
Maryland  Heights  ;  and,  arriving  at  Fort  Duncan  on  the  8th, 
it  remained,  doing  outpost  duty  on  the  Potomac  and  on  the 
Sharpsburg  road,  till  the  12th,  when  it  was  ordered  to  join  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  brigade  was  assigned  to  the 
Second  Division,  First  Corps,  and  marched  on  the  14th  with 
the  pursuing  army  to  Williamsport,  where  it  was  evident  the 
enemy  had  effected  a  crossing.  The  enemy  having  disappeared, 
the  forces  recrossed  the  Potomac  on  the  15th,  when  the  regi 
ment  received  orders  to  return  to  Massachusetts,  to  be  mustered 
out  of  service.  It  arrived  at  Worcester  on  the  18th,  and  was 
mustered  out  on  the  27th  of  July,  having  served  nearly  ten 
months.  The  sick  left  at  Newbern  arrived  home  before  the 
regiment,  and  were  mustered  out  with  the  rest  at  Worcester. 

The  Fifty-second  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the 
Gulf.  It  arrived  at  New  Orleans  in  the  early  part  of  Decem 
ber, 1862,  and  during  the  months  of  December,  1862,  and  Jan 
uary  and  February,  1863, was  stationed  at  Baton  Rouge,  La. 


470  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

March  13,  1863. — The  regiment  made  a  reconnoissance  in 
the  direction  of  Port  Hudson,  marching  up  under  the  guns  of 
the  rebel  fortifications,  a  mile  and  a  half  in  advance  of  other 
regiments,  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  the  brigade  and  division 
commanders. 

Having  inarched  with  Grover's  division  to  Brashear  City,  it 
landed  at  Indian  Bend,  on  Grand  Lake,  on  the  loth  of  April : 
the  advance  meeting  and  driving  before  it  a  small  force  of  the 
enemy.  Encamped  on  Madam  Porter's  plantation. 

On  the  15th,  it  started  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy,  marching  to 
New  Iberia  in  two  days. 

From  the  26th  of  April  to  the  21st  of  May,  the  regiment 
was  employed  at  Barre's  Landing  in  collecting  and  guarding 
corn,  cotton,  sugar,  and  molasses,  guarding  negroes,  and  loading 
and  unloading  boats  at  the  landing. 

On  the  l(Jth  of  May,  having  been  rejoined  by  the  four  com 
panies  left  on  provost  duty  at  New  Iberia,  it  commenced  a 
return  march  to  Brashear  City,  forming  a  portion  of  an  escort 
for  a  five-mile  negro  and  supply  train.  Having  marched  sixty- 
nine  miles,  in  passing  through  Franklin  and  Centre  ville  on  the 
25th,  it  was  attacked  in  the  rear  by  the  advance  of  a  large 
rebel  force  under  General  Mouton.  The  attack  having  been 
repelled  without  any  loss  to  this  regiment,  the  march  was  re 
sumed,  and  continued  during  the  night,  making  a  distance  of 
forty  miles  during  the  twenty-four  hours,  Brashear  City  being 
reached  the  following  day. 

On  the  28th,  the  regiment  was  moved  by  rail  to  Algiers,  and 
by  steamer  to  Springfield  Landing. 

The  march  above  described  was  a  most  severe  and  exhausting 
one  to  the  men,  performed  mainly  during  the  heat  of  the  day. 
From  the  5th  to  the  8th  of  June,  it  marched  to  Clinton,  twenty- 
seven  miles,  as  a  part  of  a  column  to  disperse  a  large  force  of 
rebels  there,  which  was  accomplished  without  fighting;  but  was 
very  severe,  from  the  extreme  heat  and  dust,  and  the  rapidity 
with  which  it  was  performed. 

On  the  day  of  the  assault  upon  Port  Hudson,  June  14,  it 
was  at  first  assigned  a  place  in  the  assaulting  column  under  Gen 
eral  Weitzel  ;  but,  during  the  fight,  was  ordered  to  deploy  for 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  471 

skirmishing,  and  acted  as  skirmishers  during  the  day,  with  a 
loss  of  three  killed,  and  seven  wounded,  one  officer  mortally. 
Until  the  20th,  it  occupied  a  position  at  the  front,  within  easy 
rifle-range  of  the  rebel  works  ;  when  it  was  ordered  to  escort  a 
long  forage  train  to  the  Jackson  Cross  Roads,  and,  proceeding 
to  the  point  designated,  and  while  loading  the  teams,  was  at 
tacked  by  a  greatly  superior  force  of  rebels.  Two  of  the 
regiment  were  taken  prisoners.  The  regiment  returned  again 
to  its  position  at  the  front.  The  loss  during  the  month  of 
June  was  nine  killed,  including  a  captain,  twelve  wounded, 
two  prisoners. 

The  regiment  arrived  home  Aug.  3,  1863,  and  was  mustered 
out  of  service  Aug.  14.  It  was  the  first  to  make  the  voyage 
of  the  Mississippi,  after  it  had  been  opened  by  the  capture  of 
Vicksburg  and  of  Port  Hudson. 

The  Fifty-third  Regiment  was  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf. 
It  arrived  at  New  Orleans  Jan.  30,  1863,  after  a  stormy 
passage. 

It  encamped  at  Carrollton,  reporting  to  Brigadier-General 
Emory,  and  attached  to  the  Third  Brigade,  Third  Division  ; 
and  was  employed  six  weeks  in  improving  the  drill  and  dis 
cipline  of  the  regiment. 

On  the  6th  of  March,  the  Fifty-third  was  ordered  to  Baton 
Rouge,  and,  on  the  12th,  was  sent  on  a  reconnoissance  up  the 
river,  where  it  encountered,  and  drove  in,  the  enemy's  pickets. 
On  the  13th,  it  marched  with  the  division  in  the  expedition  to 
Port  Hudson  ;  but,  arriving  after  the  object  of  the  expedition 
was  accomplished,  it  returned  to  Baton  Rouge,  where  it  re 
mained  till  April  1,  and  was  ordered  to  Algiers  with  the  rest 
of  the  division,  and,  on  the  9th,  took  passage  for  Brashear 
City,  to  join  in  the  movement  through  the  Teche  country,  which 
began  April  11.  The  enemy  having  been  encountered  at  Pat- 
tersonville  on  the  13th,  the  Fifty-third  was  engaged  in  support 
ing  a  battery,  and  skirmishing  towards  the  fortifications,  when 
it  was  under  fire  of  musketry  and  shell  five  hours.  The  flag 
of  the  Fifty-third  was  the  first  to  be  placed  upon  the  ramparts 
of  Fort  Bisland. 

The   regiment  lost    in    this    action,  one  officer   and    thirteen 


472  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

privates,  killed  and  wounded.  But  eight  companies  were  en 
gaged,  two  being  on  detached  service. 

On  the  15th,  it  marched  with  the  division  in  pursuit  of  the 
retreatin^  enemy,  with  an  occasional  skirmish,  and  reached 
Opelousas  on  the  20th,  where  it  remained  a  fortnight,  employed 
in  drill  and  picket  duty. 

May  24. — The  army  having  moved  towards  Port  Hudson, 
the  Fifty-third  was  detailed  as  guard  for  the  engineer  corps,  and 
led  the  column.  Encountering  the  enemy's  skirmishers,  the 
regiment  was  immediately  moved  forward;  three  companies, 
thrown  out  as  skirmishers,  soon  became  engaged  with  the  enemy, 
and  succeeded  in  driving  them  back,  so  that  the  engineer  corps 
could  proceed  in  its  labors. 

May  27. — The  day  of  the  general  attack  upon  Port  Hud 
son,  the  regiment  was  ordered  forward,  and  was  soon  under 
fire  of  shot  and  shell.  It  moved  to  the  front  to  support  a 
battery,  and  to  the  front  line  of  skirmishers.  It  lost  at  this 
time  thirty  killed  and  wounded. 

May  28.  —  It  joined  the  brigade,  and  remained  until  June  1, 
engaged  in  picket  duty,  and  fortifying  the  position  ;  it  was  then 
ordered  to  occupy  riflepits  at  the  front,  and  sustained  a  loss  of 
five  men,  killed  and  wounded. 

June  5.  — It  marched  as  a  part  of  the  expedition  to  Clinton, 
which  occupied  four  days,  and  resulted  in  driving  the  enemy 
from  that  locality.  On  the  loth,  it  was  ordered  to  join  in  the 
assault  upon  the  fortifications  at  Port  Hudson.  This  assault 
cost  the  regiment  heavily.  Of  the  three  hundred  officers  and 
men  (being  but  eight  companies)  who  went  in,  seven  officers 
and  seventy-nine  men  were  killed  and  wounded. 

On  the  19th  of  June,  the  Fifty-third  was  ordered  to  the  front 
in  support  of  a  battery,  where  it  remained  till  the  surrender  of 
Port  Hudson,  July  9.  It  was  then  ordered  on  picket  duty  five 
miles  from  Port  Hudson,  when  it  marched  with  the  brigade  to 
Baton  Rouge.  On  the  15th,  it  embarked  for  Donalds ville  and 
remained  in  camp,  engaged  in  drill  and  picket  duty  until  Aug. 
2,  when  it  returned  to  Baton  Rouge,  and,  on  the  12th,  was 
ordered  to  Massachusetts,  via  Cairo.  It  arrived  at  Cairo  Aug. 
19,  and  at  Fitchburg,  Mass.,  the  24th,  where,  after  a  public 


THE  NINE  MONTHS'  REGIMENTS.  473 

reception,  it  was  furloughed  one  week,  and  mustered  out  of 
service  Sept.  2,  by  Captain  I.  R.  Lawrence. 

There  was  but  one  light  battery  raised  for  the  nine  months' 
service.  It  was  recruited  by  Major  Edward  J.  Jones,  of 
Boston,  in  a  very  short  time,  at  Readville  Camp,  without 
expense  to  the  Commonwealth.  Major  Jones  was  commis 
sioned  captain. 

It  was  mustered  into  service  Aug.  25,  1862,  at  Readville, 
where  it  remained  until  Oct.  3,  when  it  was  ordered  to  proceed 
to  Washington,  and  report  for  orders  to  the  Adjutant-General 
of  the  United  States.  The  battery  was  assigned  to  General 
Casey's  division,  and  was  sent  to  "Camp  Barry,"  near  Bladens- 
burg  Tollgate,  D.C.  Nov.  19,  it  was  ordered  to  Hall's  Hill, 
Ya.,  where  it  was  attached  to  General  Abercrombie's  command. 
On  the  27th,  it  was  ordered  to  report  to  Colonel  Randall,  Third 
Vermont  Brigade,  for  active  service  in  the  field  ;  the  brigade 
being  at  that  time  near  Fort  Lyons,  under  orders  to  march  to 
Fairfax  Station  and  Union  Mills,  to  which  it  advanced  the  next 
day,  occupying  Wolf  Run  Shoals,  Blackburn's  Ford,  and 
picketing  the  line  to  Centreville.  Colonel  Randall  was  soon 
relieved  from  this  command  by  Colonel  D'Utassy.  The  brigade 
having  no  cavalry,  the  command  was  frequently  detailed  to  act 
as  scouts  ;  and,  in  connection  with  the  Keystone  Battery,  several 
reconnoissances  were  made  to  Gainesville,  Manassas,  and  in  the 
direction  of  Warrington,  both  batteries  being  mounted  and  act 
ing  as  cavalry. 

Feb.  1,  1863,  Colonel  D'Utassy  was  relieved  by  General 
Alexander  Hays,  and  several  regiments  of  infantry  were  added 
to  the  command,  and  the  picket  line  considerably  extended  and 
strengthened,  and  the  command  assigned  to  garrison  duty  in 
two  principal  forts  on  Centreville  Heights. 

The  battery  continued  on  picket  and  scouting  duty  until 
April  18,  when  the  command  was  ordered  to  report  to  Colonel 
Sickles  commanding  the  division  of  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  at 
Forts  Ramsey  and  Buffalo,  at  Upton's  Hill,  Va.,  where  it  re 
mained  in  garrison  until  May  23,  when,  the  term  of  service 
having  expired,  the  battery  was  ordered  to  report  to  Brigadier- 
General  Barry  at  Washington.  It  started  for  Boston,  where  it 


474 


MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 


arrived  May  28,  1863,  and  was  mustered  out  of  service;  hav 
ing  served  the  entire  term  without  the  loss  of  a  single  man  from 
any  cause  whatever. 

These  nine  months'  organizations  did  effective  service  in  the 
various  departments  in  which  they  were  stationed.  They  car 
ried  the  flag  of  the  nation  and  the  colors  of  the  Commonwealth 
from  the  city  of  Washington  to  the  city  of  Galveston  ;  from 
Virginia  to  Texas  :  —  a  wider  area  and  a  more  extended  line  than 
was  occupied  by  troops  from  any  other  State.  After  the  capture 
of  Port  Hudson  and  Vicksburg,  which  opened  the  Mississippi 
River  to  the  Union  forces,  the  Fifty-second  Regiment  was  the 
first  loyal  command  which  ascended  the  river  from  New  Orleans 
to  Cairo,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio  ;  thus  keeping  up  the  ad 
vance  record  of  Massachusetts  troops. 

The  following  table  shows  the  number  of  men  in  each  reoi- 

c*  O 

mcnt  and  in  the  Eleventh  Battery  who  died,  were  killed, 
discharged,  taken  prisoners,  and  deserted:  — 


Regiments. 

Died. 

Killed. 

Disch'd. 

Pris'ners. 

Deserted. 

Third,  Colonel  Richmond   
Fourth,  Colonel  Walker     
Fifth    Colonel  Pierson         

13 
120 
13 

2 
8 

45 

25 
43 

14 
3 

0 
15 
2Q 

Sixth,  Colonel  Follansbee   
Eighth   Colonel  Coffin 

13 
9 

12 

20 

0 

8 
49 

Forty-second,  Colonel  Bun-ill       .... 
Forty-third,  Colonel  Ilolbrook     .... 
Forty-fourth,  Colonel  Lee  
Forty-fifth,  Colonel  Codman    .... 

32 
13 
24 

32 

4 

2 
8 
10 

45 
05 
81 
01 

14 

62 
89 
3 
4R 

Forty  -sixth,  Colonel  Shurtlcff      .... 
Forty-seventh,  Colonel  Marsh      .... 
Forty-eighth   Colonel  Stone 

33 
25 
50 

2 
10 

172 
103 

00 

10 
219 
1  'Si 

Forty-ninth    Colonel  Bartlett 

84 

21 

07 

i 

09 

Fiftieth,  Colonel  Messer      
Fifty-first,  Colonel  Sprayue     
Fifty-second,  Colonel  Greenleaf  .... 
Fifty-third,  Colonel  Kimball    .... 

84 
42 
80 
146 

8 
18 

30 
(J7 
20 
54 

27 
17 
3 
91 

Eleventh  Battery,  Captain  Jones     .     .     . 

— 

819 

105 

1038 

38 

785 

The  large  number  of  persons  who  deserted  from  some  of  the 
regiments  may  surprise  many  readers.  It  is  a  fact,  considered 
without  explanation,  not  creditable  to  our  people.  Nearly  all 
the  desertions  took  place  before  the  regiments  left  the  State, 
and  very  fe\v  of  the  men  belonged  to  Massachusetts.  They 
came  from  other  States,  stimulated  to  enlist  by  the  offer  of  large 


CAUSES    OF    DESERTION.  475 

bounties,  and  intending  to  desert  as  soon  as  they  received  the 
money.  The  offer  of  large  bounties  by  the  cities  and  towns 
brought  to  the  surface  a  class  of  men  known  as  recruiting 
agents,  who  offered  for  a  given  sum  to  fill  the  quotas  of  the 
cities  and  towns  who  employed  them.  As  a  general  rule,  these 
persons  were  irresponsible  and  corrupt.  They  opened  offices 
in  Boston,  advertised  their  business  in  the  newspapers,  employed 
runners  as  bad  as  themselves.  To  these  agents  many  of  the 
town  authorities  made  applications  for  men.  They  were  met 
with  fair  promises,  for  which  they  paid  much  money.  Neither 
the  State  nor  the  United  States  at  this  time  paid  bounties  for 
nine  months'  men.  The  bounties  were  paid  by  the  several 
municipalities  in  the  Commonwealth.  The  men  were  obtained 
by  these  agents,  sent  to  camp,  and  mustered  into  the  service, 
put  in  uniform,  and,  as  soon  as  opportunity  offered,  they  de 
serted  ;  having  received  their  pay  beforehand  from  the  broker  or 
agent,  with  whom,  in  many  instances,  they  were  in  collusion. 
Some  of  them  were  afterwards  arrested,  and  forwarded  to  their 
regiments  ;  but  the  great  majority  escaped. 

The  bounties  paid  by  the  towns  varied  in  amount,  ranging  all 
the  way  from  fifty  dollars  to  five  hundred;  very  few,  however, 
were  paid  more  than  two  hundred  dollars  each  ;  and  the  average 
amount,  for  the  17,143  nine  months'  men,  was  a  fraction  over 
one  hundred  dollars  a  man,  which,  by  an  act  of  the  Legislature, 
was,  in  great  part,  reimbursed  to  the  towns  from  the  State 
treasury,  to  the  total  amount  of  $2,300,921. 

Early  in  the  month  of  July,  a  disgraceful  and  cruel  riot 
broke  out  in  the  city  of  New  York.  It  was  instigated  by 
persons  who  sympathized  with  the  rebel  cause,  and  wished  it 
success.  The  pretext  for  the  mob  was  opposition  to  the  law 
of  Congress  instituting  a  draft  of  men  to  fill  our  regiments  at 
the  seat  of  war.  The  successes  of  our  arms  at  Gettysburg, 
Port  Hudson,  and  Yicksburg,  were  not  to  their  tastes.  The 
rebel  element  in  that  city,  therefore,  seized  hold  of  the  act  of 
Congress,  and  inflamed  the  ignorant  masses  to  a  degree  which 
found  no  vent  except  in  riot  and  bloodshed.  The  vengeance  of 
this  mob,  like  that  of  all  other  mobs,  expended  its  force  upon 
the  very  poorest  and  most  helpless  of  the  community,  —  the 


476  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

colored  people.  Their  Orphan  Asylum  was  attacked,  and  the 
inmates  fearfully  abused,  and  the  rioters,  — imitating  the  Paris 
riots  at  the  outbreak  of  the  French  Revolution, —  hanged  some 
of  their  victims  to  the  lamp-posts.  The  defection  in  New  York 
spread  to  Boston,  and  to  other  parts  of  the  country  ;  but  no 
where  was  life  so  brutally  assailed,  and  property  placed  in 
jeopardy,  as  in  the  former  city. 

Reliable  information  was  received  at  the  State  House  that  a 
riot  was  likely  to  take  place  in  Boston.  The  Governor  took 
immediate  means  to  prevent  it.  The  chief  point  of  attack  of 
the  rioters  was  to  be  the  armory  of  the  Eleventh  Battery,  in 
Cooper  Street,  in  which  were  deposited  the  guns  of  that  com 
pany,  —  the  only  available  cannon  in  the  city.  It  became 
apparent,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  14th,  that  an  outbreak  would 
at  least  be  attempted ;  and  active  preparations  to  meet  the 
exigency  were  immediately  made.  The  alarm  spread  also  to 
the  cities  of  Cambridge,  Roxbury,  Charlestown,  Lowell,  and 
New  Bedford ;  and  applications  were  made  by  the  authorities  of 
those  places  to  the  Governor  for  military  assistance  to  main 
tain  order,  which  requests  were  granted  to  the  full  extent 
demanded. 

A  brief  abstract  of  the  orders  issued,  having  reference  to  the 
anticipated  riots,  will  illustrate  the  active  energy  and  determined 
resolution  of  the  Governor  to  suppress  all  insubordination. 
We  give  them  in  the  order  in  which  they  were  issued. 

The  afternoon  of  July  14,  Major  Charles  W.  Wilder,  command 
ing  the  First  Battalion  Light  Dragoons,  Massachusetts  Volunteer 
Militia,  was  ordered  to  have  the  companies  in  his  command 
assemble  at  their  armories  forthwith,  and  await  orders. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  C.  C.  Holmes,  commanding  the  First 
Company  of  Cadets,  received  like  orders.  He  was  to  apply 
to  the  Master  of  Ordnance  for  ammunition. 

Major-General  Andrews,  of  the  First  Division,  with  his 
stall',  was  to  report  immediately  to  the  State  House.  Briga 
dier-General  R.  A.  Peirce,  in  command  of  Readville  Camp, 
was  ordered  to  send  in  the  men  belonging  to  the  Second  Regi 
ment  Heavy  Artillery,  then  being  recruited  at  Readville,  under 
command  of  Colonel  Frankle,  who  were  to  report  at  headquar- 


THE    DKAFT    RIOT   IN   BOSTON.  477 

ters,  State  House,  on  arriving  at  Boston.  General  Peirce  was 
to  turn  over  to  Colonel  Frankle  such  arms  and  ammunition  as 
he  could  spare  from  camp. 

Colonel  Codman,  of  the  Forty -fifth  Regiment,  was  ordered 
on  duty  at  Readville.  Colonel  Lee,  of  the  Forty-fourth  Regi 
ment,  was  to  assemble  his  command  at  their  armory  at  Boylston 
Hall  forthwith,  and  await  further  orders.  These  two  regiments 
had  recently  returned  from  nine  months'  service  in  North  Caro 
lina,  but  had  kept  up  their  regimental  organizations  after 
returning  home  and  having  been  mustered  out. 

Brigadier-General  Lawrence,  Third  Brigade,  was  ordered 
to  report  to  the  State  House,  and  await  further  orders. 

W.  C.  Richardson,  Mayor  of  Cambridge,  was  ordered  to 
cause  the  Washington  Home  Guards,  Captain  Bradford,  a 
military  organization  in  Cambridge,  to  do  guard  duty  at  the 
State  Arsenal  in  that  city  that  night,  and  to  remain  there  until 
the  order  was  countermanded.  They  were  to  furnish  themselves 
with  rations  at  army  rates. 

Major  Stephen  Cabot,  in  command  of  the  garrison  at  Fort 
Warren,  reported,  with  his  command,  in  response  to  a  request 
by  the  Governor.  He  was  ordered  to  report  to  Frederick  W. 
Lincoln,  Jr.,  Mayor  of  Boston,  with  a  request  of  the  Gov 
ernor,  that  a  part  of  his  command  be  ordered  for  duty  at  the 
armory  of  the  Eleventh  Battery,  in  Cooper  Street,  to  support 
the  men  then  there  ;  Major  Jones,  who  commanded  the  battery, 
having  previously  received  verbal  orders,  from  the  Commander- 
in-chief,  to  have  his  men  on  duty  at  that  place,  and  they  were 
there. 

Major  Wilder,  of  the  Battalion  of  Dragoons,  received  his 
orders  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  ;  and  at  five  o'clock,  the 
same  afternoon,  he  reported  that  his  battalion  was  ready.  He 
was  ordered  to  report  for  duty  to  the  Mayor  of  Boston. 

The  Corps  of  Cadets,  Colonel  Holmes,  reported  with  equal 
alacrity.  This  company  was  specially  detailed  by  the  Gov 
ernor  to  protect  the  State  House.  The  Cadets,  in  addition  to 
their  infantry  organization,  had  two  six-pound  howitzers,  and  a 
portion  of  the  company  was  drilled  in  the  exercise  of  heavy 
ordnance.  The  howitzers  were  brought  out  on  this  occasion, 


478  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

and  judiciously  placed  so  as  to  command  the  front  and  rear 
entrances  to  the  State  House.  The  remainder  of  the  company 
acted  as  infantry,  doing  guard  duty  and  supporting  the  artillery. 

Colonel  Frankle,  with  his  command,  readied  Boston  from 
Readville,  with  great  promptness,  that  evening;  reported  at 
the  State  House,  and  was  directed  to  report  to  the  Mayor  of 
Boston,  and  to  remain  on  duty  until  relieved  by  orders  from 
headquarters. 

Brigadier-General  Peirce  was  ordered  to  take  command  of  all 
the  military  forces,  to  report  to  and  confer  with  the  Mayor  of 
Boston,  and  to  aid  and  support  the  police  in  preserving  the 
order  of  the  city. 

Company  F,  Fifth  Regiment,  Captain  Charles  Currier,  at 
Medford,  and  Company  B,  of  the  same,  at  Somcrville,  Captain 
B.  F.  Parker,  had  tendered  their  services  to  maintain  the 
peace,  and  were  ordered  to  hold  their  men  in  readiness  at 
their  armories  until  relieved. 

Several  companies,  known  as  Drill  Clubs  and  Home  Guards, 
among  which  were  the  Horse  Guards  of  Roxbury,  the  Re 
serve  Guards  of  Cambridge,  First  Battalion  National  Guards 
of  Boston,  Massachusetts  Rifle  Club,  Boston,  and  the  Reserve 
Guard,  Roxbury,  tendered  their  services,  which  were  accepted. 

Major  Gordon,  Eleventh  United-States  Infantry,  in  com 
mand  of  Fort  Independence,  came  up  with  a  company  of  his 
men,  and  offered  the  services  of  himself  and  command  for  any 
military  duty. 

Captain  Whiton's  Company  of  Heavy  Artillery,  Massachusetts 
Volunteers,  on  duty  at  Fort  Independence,  also  came  to  the 
city  ;  and  upon  representations  made  by  Major  Rodman,  United- 
States  Army,  in  command  of  the  United-States  Arsenal  at 
Watertown,  this  company  was  forwarded  at  once  for  guard 
duty  at  that  important  post. 

Captain  Collins,  Lieutenant  McKibben,  and  other  United- 
States  officers  at  Boston,  also  tendered  their  assistance  at  any 
place,  and  in  any  position  where  they  could  be  of  use. 

Surgeon-General  William  J.  Dale  also  rendered  valuable 
services  by  organizing  a  medical  staff  for  the  occasion,  to  take 
charge  of  whoever  might  be  wounded  or  injured  in  the  expected 


THE    DRAFT   RIOT   IN   BOSTON.  479 

riot ;  in  which  he  was  ably  assisted  by  Major  Hooker, 
assistant  Surgeon-General  of  the  Commonwealth.  Surgeon- 
General  Dale  detailed  two  surgeons  to  the  Cooper-street 
Armory,  one  to  Faneuil  Hall,  and  one  to  the  office  of  the 
assistant  Quartermaster-General,  United -States  Army.  They 
were  directed  to  make  their  requisitions  directly  upon  the  Sur 
geon-General.  Dressings  were  also  forwarded  to  the  various 
commands.  The  surgeons  thus  •  detailed  were  Dr.  Ezra 
Palmer,  surgeon  of  the  Cadets ;  Dr.  John  P.  Ordvvay,  of 
the  Eleventh  Battery  ;  and  Dr.  J.  F.  Harlow,  of  the  Second 
Heavy  Artillery. 

Every  precaution  in  the  power  of  the  Governor  was  taken  to 
prevent  outbreaks  in  the  other  cities  of  the  Commonwealth ; 
but  in  neither  of  them  was  there  any  organized  effort  to  break 
the  peace.  In  Boston  alone  did  the  rioters  assume  a  menacing, 
hostile  attitude.  They  assembled  on  the  evening  of  the  14th, 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  armory  of  the  Eleventh  Battery,  in 
Cooper  Street,  which  they  attacked  with  stones  and  other  mis 
siles.  The  doors  were  closed,  and  the  military  inside  kept 
profound  silence.  The  rioters  knew  that  the  military  were  in 
the  armory,  and  ready  to  defend  the  place.  By  direction  of  the 
Governor,  the  Adjutant-General  visited  the  armory  late  in  the 
evening  to  learn  if  the  officers  and  men  were  on  duty.  An  im 
mense  throng  of  riotous  persons  thronged  the  streets,  and 
everywhere  imprecations  were  heard  denunciatory  of  the  na 
tional  and  State  Governments,  of  the  war,  and  of  the  draft. 
Being  in  citizen's  dress,  and  conducting  himself  so  as  not  to 
attract  attention,  he  quietly  made  his  way  through  the  crowd 
to  the  door  of  the  armory,  into  which  he  was  admitted  by  a  sen 
tinel.  He  found  every  thing  properly  guarded.  The  military, 
under  command  of  Major  Cabot,  were  in  position,  quiet  and 
reserved,  but  with  firm  determination  expressed  in  every  man's 
countenance,  that  the  armory  should  not  be  attacked,  the  guns 
and  ammunition  captured,  and  their  lives  imperilled,  with 
out  a  manly  resistance.  After  a  survey  of  the  position,  he 
quietly  left  the  armory  as  he  had  entered,  made  his  way  through 
the  crowd,  which  every  moment  became  more  turbulent  and  ex 
cited,  and  apparently  more  determined  than  ever  to  attack  the 


480  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

armory,  slaughter  all  who  opposed  them,  and  capture  the  guns. 
These  facts  were  reported  to  the  Governor  at  the  State  House. 
The  mob  increased  in  numbers  and  vehemence.  The  quiet  in 
side  was  in  strange  contrast  to  the  noise  and  excitement  outside. 
It  was  a  fearful  moment.  Here  were  a  few  disciplined  and 
determined  men,  in  a  comparatively  small  room  with  barred 
doors,  and  offering  no  cause  of  disturbance  to  those  without, 
which  numbered  at  least  four  or  five  thousand  men.  The  sol 
diers  inside  held  the  key  of  the  city.  Under  their  charge  \vere 
the  only  pieces  of  cannon,  and  ammunition  to  supply  them,  in 
Boston.  But  those  guns  were  loaded,  and  the  men  were  ready 
for  an  attack,  should  one  be  made.  At  last,  wearied  with 
throwing  stones  and  other  implements  against  the  doors,  which 
proved  unavailing,  a  concerted  movement  was  made  by  the  mob 
to  force  the  entrance  and  gain  possession  of  the  guns.  Delay 
was  no  longer  wise  or  prudent.  The  entrance  had  been  nearly 
forced,  and  the  word  was  given  to  FIRE.  The  effect  was  elec 
trical.  Several  of  the  rioters  wrere  killed  ;  many  more  wounded, 
—  how  many  will  probably  never  be  known.  The  mob  scattered, 
and  the  riot  was  virtually  crushed,  although  other  demonstra 
tions,  comparatively  feeble,  were  made  in  Dock  Square  and 
around  Faneuil  Hall,  to  break  into  the  gun-store  of  Read  & 
Son.  Yet  the  firmness  and  bravery  of  the  military  stationed 
there,  and  the  police  of  Boston,  to  whom  great  credit  should  be 
given,  awed  and  scattered  the  rioters.  Several  arrests  were 
made  of  persons  supposed  to  be  ringleaders  in  the  mob,  but 
no  more  powder  and  canister  were  used.  The  one  volley  in 
Cooper  Street  ended  the  riot,  and  no  soldier  or  loyal  man  was 
hurt.  Thus  ended  what  appeared  at  one  time  to  be  a  serious 
menace  to  the  city.  Quiet  was  restored.  In  a  few  days  after 
the  military  were  relieved  from  duty,  and  returned  to  their  several 
posts.  The  entire  cost  of  this  military  guard  of  honor  and  of 
peace  was  $14,495. 

The  law  of  Congress  to  raise  troops  by  draft  was  put  in 
operation  in  this  Commonwealth  in  the  months  of  June  and 
July.  Major  Clarke,  U.S.A.,  one  of  the  truest  gentlemen 
who  ever  held  command  in  Massachusetts  during  the  war,  was 
appointed  Provost-Marshal-General  of  the  State,  with  headquar- 


THE  RESULT  OF  THE  DRAFT.  481 

ters  at  Boston.  Assistant  provost-marshals  were  appointed  for 
the  several  congressional  districts.  These  appointments  were 
made  at  Washington.  A  board  was  also  established  to  make 
an  enrolment  of  all  persons  in  the  State  between  the  ages  of 
twenty  and  forty-five  years.  The  persons  thus  enrolled  were 
164,178.  The  whole  number  of  persons  drafted  —  that  is,  the 
persons  whose  names  were  drawn  from  the  boxes  —  was  32,079. 
Of  these,  6,690  were  held  to  serve;  and  of  these  only  743 
joined  the  service,  2,325  procured  substitutes,  22,343  were 
exempted,  3,044  failed  to  report,  3,623  paid  commutation, 
which  amounted  in  the  gross  to  one  million  eighty-five  thou 
sand  eight  hundred  dollars.  The  whole  number  of  drafted 
men,  and  substitutes  for  drafted  men,  who  were  sent  to  camp  at 
Long  Island,  was  3,068.  Of  these,  2,720  were  assigned  and 
sent  to  regiments  in  the  front,  224  were  organized  as  a  provost 
guard  for  duty  at  the  camp.  Of  the  whole  number,  124  de 
serted.  Of  the  drafted  men  or  substitutes,  73  were  colored, 
who  were  sent  to  the  Fifty-fourth  Kegiment.  These  were  all 
who  were  drafted  in  Massachusetts  up  to  Jan.  1,  1864;  and 
there  was  in  reality  no  adequate  cause  why  a  draft  should  ever 
have  been  made  in  Massachusetts,  because  the  State  had  more 
than  filled  her  quotas  upon  previous  calls  by  voluntary  enlist 
ments,  and,  as  will  be  seen,  filled  all  subsequent  calls  without 
resort  to  a  draft,  and  came  out  of  the  war  with  a  surplus  of 
13,083  men. 

The  second  colored  regiment  (Fifty-fifth)  left  the  State  July 
21,  embarking  at  Boston  in  transports  for  Morehead  City, 
N.C.,  where  it  arrived  July  25.  On  the  29th,  it  was  ordered 
to  South  Carolina,  and  arrived  at  Folly  Island,  in  that  State, 
Aug.  3.  There  had  been  some  question  in  regard  to  the  des 
tination  of  this  regiment.  It  was  the  wish  of  the  Governor  to 
have  it  sent  to  South  Carolina,  where  the  Fifty-fourth  then  was. 
On  July  11,  the  Governor  received  from  the  Secretary  of  War 
this  despatch  :  — 

"Various  circumstances  indicate  the  necessity  of  relieving  the 
troops  at  New  Orleans,  and  substituting  for  them  troops  of  African 
descent.  This  will  be  done  as  far  as  possible  by  the  organization  of 
troops  already  acclimated ;  but  it  may  greatly  facilitate  that  organiza- 

31 


482  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

tion  to  have  another  regiment  like  those  which  you  have  organized  as 
a  standard  of  organization  in  that  department.  This  mainly  impresses 
me  to  the  necessity  of  changing  the  destination  of  your  Fifty-fifth 
Re<nment,  although  I  have  not  absolutely  determined  upon  the  change. 
Any  consideration  which  you  may  be  disposed  to  present,  will  be  atten 
tively  considered." 

A  copy  of  this  despatch  was  sent  to  Colonel  Hallowell,  com- 
the  regiment  at  Readville,  who  replied,  — 

o  J- 


<•  The  officers  of  the  Fifty-fifth  desire  that  the  regiment  may  be 
sent  to  that  point  where,  in  the  opinion  of  their  Government,  it  will  do 
the  most  good." 

As  we  have  already  stated,  the  regiment  was  not  sent  to  New 
Orleans,  but  to  South  Carolina. 

As  these  were  the  only  colored  infantry  regiments  raised  in 
Massachusetts,  before  proceeding  to  other  matters,  we  propose 
to  give  a  brief  abstract  of  the  voluminous  correspondence  of  the 
Governor  with  the  department  at  Washington,  Senators  in  Con 
gress,  and  to  private  citizens,  in  regard  to  the  pay  of  these 
troops  and  of  the  colored  chaplains.  It  was  the  belief  of  the 
Governor,  that  the  enlisted  men  and  the  chaplains  were  entitled 
to  the  same  pay  and  allowances  as  the  enlisted  men  in  wrhite 
regiments,  and  chaplains  in  white  regiments.  The  Govern 
ment,  however,  did  not  so  regard  the  matter.  They  would 
pay  the  men  and  the  chaplain  but  seven  dollars  a  month.  On 
the  fourth  day  of  July,  1863,  the  Governor  wrote  to  J.  W. 
Langston,  a  colored  lawyer  in  Ohio,  a  long  letter  in  an 
swer  to  certain  inquiries  which  he  had  made  respecting  the 
organization  and  pay  of  colored  troops,  and  contended  that  the 
law  made  no  distinction  between  them  and  white  troops,  and 
urged  him  to  go  on  with  the  enlistment  of  colored  men. 

kk  I  trust,"  he  said,  "  there  will  be  no  hesitation  or  delay.  The 
Government  will  do  right.  The  Secretary  of  War,  as  soon  as  the 
argument  is  at  once  stated  to  and  perceived  by  him,  I  have  no  man 
ner  of  doubt,  will  free  your  minds  by  prompt,  decisive,  and  correct 
action.  But,  at  all  events,  right  will  take  place,  and  justice  will  be 
done." 

The  letter  concludes  as  follows  :  — 


THE  PAY  OF  COLORED  TROOPS.  483 

"Louder  than  ten  thousand  thunders  is  the  call  which  this  day 
(July  4)  utters  in  the  ears  of  all  men  in  whose  veins  flows  the  blood 
of  Africa,  and  whose  color  has  been  the  badge  of  slavery.  The  ac 
cumulated  woes  of  many  generations  give  direction  and  emphasis  to 
the  duty  of  to-day.  The  opportunity  of  years,  now  crowded  into  an 
hour,  now  visits  you,  and  beckons,  entreats,  commands,  you  to  come, 
come  now,  come  instantly,  come  with  a  shout,  and  receive  the  baptism 
which  is  to  admit  you  into  the  glorious  company  of  the  peoples,  of 
every  clime  and  of  every  hue,  who,  by  their  own  blood,  have  vindicated 
their  right  to  all  the  blessings  and  all  the  powers  of  liberty,  and  to 
whose  own  right  arms  the  Lord  of  hosts  has  given  the  victory." 

The  controversy  on  the  matter  of  payment  continued  for 
more  than  a  year ;  the  Government  refusing  to  pay  the 
men  more  than  seven  dollars  a  month,  or  the  chaplains  the 
pay  due  to  their  rank,  which  created  great  dissatisfaction  among 
the  men.  The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  appropriated 
money  to  make  up  the  deficiency  ;  and  the  Governor  appointed 
Major  James  Sturgis,  of  Boston,  assistant  Adjutant-General, 
to  proceed  to  South  Carolina  to  make  the  payment ;  but  the 
men  refused  to  receive  it.  They  demanded  from  the  General 
Government  equal  pay  with  other  United  States  volunteers. 
They  were  greatly  in  need  of  money,  and  their  families  were 
suffering  at  home  ;  yet  they  resolutely  determined  to  receive  no 
pay  unless  they  received  full  pay.  The  matter  in  June,  1864, 
was  referred  by  the  President  to  Mr.  Bates,  the  Attorney- 
General  of  the  United  States,  who  gave  a  learned  and  elaborate 
opinion,  in  which  he  sustained  every  point  which  the  Governor 
had  taken.  The  following  is  the  concluding  paragraph  of  Mr. 
Bates's  opinion  :  — 

"  In  view,  therefore,  of  the  foregoing  considerations,  I  give  it  to  you, 
unhesitatingly,  as  my  opinion,  that  the  same  pay,  bounty,  and  clothing 
are  allowed  by  law  to  the  persons  of  color  referred  to  in  your  commu 
nication,  and  who  were  enlisted  and  mustered  into  the  military  ser 
vice  of  the  United  States  between  the  months  of  December,  1862, 
and  the  10th  of  June,  1864,  as  are,  by  the  laws  existing  at  the  times 
of  the  enlistments  of  said  persons,  authorized  and  provided  for,  and 
allowed  to  other  soldiers  in  the  volunteer  forces  of  the  United  States 
of  like  arms  of  the  service." 


484  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  opinion  of  Mr.  Bates  appears  to  have  settled  the  ques 
tion.  The  colored  troops  and  colored  chaplains  were  placed  on 
an  equality  with  whites,  and  received  the  same  pay. 

Growing  out  of  the  draft  were  many  questions  of  a  legal 
nature,  which  could  not  be  brought  before  the  courts  for  de 
cision,  but  were  decided  in  a  summary  manner,  according  to 
military  rule,  by  the  United-States  military  officers,  acting  as 
provost  and  assistant  provost  marshals  in  the  Commonwealth. 

In  several  cases  of  enlistments,  where  the  writ  of  habeas 
corpus  was  issued,  the  parties  were  brought  before  the  court,  in 
which  Major  Charles  F.  Blake,  Provost-Marshal-General  of  the 
Commonwealth,  appeared  for  the  Government;  but,  under  the 
conscription  law,  new  questions  arose,  upon  which  a  judicial 
opinion  could  not  be  obtained  for  the  reasons  we  have  stated. 

In  the  opinion  of  the  Governor,  it  was  important  that  these 
questions  should  receive  a  judicial  interpretation.  On  July  17, 
he  sent  Major  Blake  to  Washington  to  confer  with  the  Secretary 
of  War  upon  these  matters.  He  carried  with  him  a  letter  from 
the  Governor  to  Mr.  Stanton,  in  which  he  said  he  deemed  it  of 
the  highest  importance  that  the  principal  legal  questions  which 
had  arisen  under  the  conscription  law  should  be  brought  to  a 
judicial  test  at  the  earliest  day. 

"  And  I  do  not  know  any  tribunal,"  he  said,  u  before  which  they  can 
be  more  promptly  raised,  or  more  intelligently  argued,  or  by  which 
they  can  be  more  impartially  adjudicated  than  the  Supreme  Court  of 
this  Commonwealth,  which  is,  I  believe,  a  court  as  little  impressible 
by  outside  influences  as  any  tribunal  in  existence." 

The  Governor  further  recommended,  that  the  questions  be 
decided  immediately,  and  that  the  United  States  District  At 
torney,  or  some  other  counsel,  should  be  instructed  to  represent 
the  United  States  in  all  such  cases.  We  are  not  aware  that  any 
action  was  taken  by  the  Secretary  in  the  matter. 

On  the  18th  of  July,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Mr.  Stan- 
ton  to  authorize  him  to  enlist  Massachusetts  conscripted  men  as 
volunteers,  which  would  enable  him  to  pay  them  the  State 
bounty  of  fifty  dollars  each,  which  they,  as  mere  conscripts, 
could  not  legally  receive. 


LETTERS  FROM  JOHN  M.  FORBES.  485 

"  What  you  want,"  he  said,  "  is  the  men  ;  and  if  the  payment  of  this 
State  bounty  will  increase  their  willingness  for  service,  as  undoubtedly 
it  will,  it  makes  no  difference  to  you,  whether  they  call  themselves 
volunteers  after  being  drafted,  and  it  does  make  some  to  them." 

Not  receiving  any  immediate  reply  to  this,  the  Governor 
telegraphed  again  to  Mr.  Stanton,  on  the  21st,  calling  his 
attention  to  his  previous  telegram,  and  restating  and  re-en 
forcing  his  former  telegram. 

"  I  think,"  he  said,  "  such  request  reasonable  and  just,  and  respect 
fully  ask  the  favor  of  a  reply." 

We  do  not  know  whether  an  answer  was  received  or  not. 
But,  if  it  was,  it  was  unfavorable,  as  the  drafted  men  who  went 
from  Massachusetts  never  received  the  State  bounty. 

John  M.  Forbes  returned  from  England  in  the  early  part  of 
July,  where  he  had  made  contracts  for  cannon  for  the  coast 
defences  of  the  State.  lie  landed  at  New  York,  and,  before 
coming  to  Boston,  went  to  Washington.  On  the  20th  of  July, 
he  wrote  to  the  Governor,  from  Washington,  that  he  had  been 
informed  by  Captain  Wise,  of  the  Ordnance  Bureau,  Navy  De 
partment,  that  he  had  some  captured  guns,  which  he  would  sell 
the  State  at  very  low  prices.  Mr.  Forbes  recommended  their 
purchase.  Mr.  Forbes  then  speaks  of  Colonel  Lowell,  of  our 
Second  Cavalry,  who  had  gone  off  "  on  a  rather  dangerous 
scout  on  the  skirts  of  Lee's  retreating  army."  He  also  says, — 

"  He  had  quite  a  little  brush  at  Ashbury,  charged  a  gap  where  the 
rebels  held  a  stone  wall  ;  two  men  were  killed  alongside  the  Colonel. 
Finding  them  too  strongly  posted  to  continue  the  direct  attack,  he 
flanked  them,  and  pushed  them  far  into  the  valley,  taking  twelve  or 
fourteen  prisoners,  including  two  staff  officers.  He  reconnoitred  other 
gaps,  and  returned  by  Leesburgh,  after  a  very  hard  tramp.  After 
two  days'  rest,  he  set  off  towards  Manassas.  I  got  the  account  from 
Major  Thompson.  If  they  carried  a  newspaper  reporter  along,  he 
would  make  quite  a  raid  of  their  Ashbury  Gap  skirmish.  I  .<aw 
three  of  their  wounded  yesterday,  one  with  an  ounce-ball  apparently 
in  the  centre  of  his  brain." 

On  the  21st  of  July,  Mr.  Forbes  again  writes  to  the  Gov 
ernor  in  regard  to  the  purchase  of  the  guns  referred  to  in  his 
preceding  letter.  He  says,  — 


486  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

"They  were  built  in  '61  and  '62,  and  captured  in  the  'Bermuda' 
and  k  Princess  Royal ' ;  and  Major  Wise  thinks  they  are  quite  as  likely 
to  be  as  good  as  Blakely's  present  guns,  which  we  are  buying  at  such 
high  rates.  If  you  doubt  about  buying  a  pig  in  a  poke,  very  likely 
you  may  have  time  to  send  on  and  examine  them.  I  have  no  idea  the 
War  Ordnance  Department  will  bestir  themselves  to  build  guns,  and 
I  think  Massachusetts  has  got  to  take  the  risk  of  doing  it.  I  hear 
Ericsson  is  building  a  gun  at  Bridgewater  ;  and  Wise  says,  that  is  the 
place  for  you  to  build  on  the  steel  rings.  I  saw  Mr.  Stanton  on  my 
arrival,  and  found  he  has  already  complied  with  your  wish  to  send  the 
Fifty-fifth  to  Newbern." 

The  next  day,  Mr.  Forbes  wrote  to  the  Governor,  that  Cap 
tain  AVise  bad  forwarded  to  him  a  full  description  of  the  guns  ; 
also,  the  price,  which  the  appraisers  of  them  bad  fixed.  The 
price  was  very  low,  and  Mr.  Forbes  regarded  them  — 

"  The  six  cheapest  guns  in  the  world.  They  seemed  to  have  been 
appraised  on  the  same  principle  as  you  would  appraise  an  elephant,— 
very  cheap  to  any  one  who  wants  them ;  and  the  Navy  naturally 
hate  to  have  any  thing  making  odd  sizes  of  their  shot.  Captain  Wise 
says  he  has  received  no  answer  to  a  letter  offering  you  any  quantity 
of  eleven-inch  guns  at  cost.  I  suggest  answering  him  with  thanks,  and 
keeping  the  offer  open  until  you  can  ascertain  whether  the  cost  of 
spindle  of  guns,  the  right  weight,  will  be  as  much  as  that  of  the 
guns." 

Mr.  Forbes  then  gives,  at  considerable  length,  an  interesting 
account  of  the  different  kinds  of  heavy  ordnance  in  America 
and  in  England,  and  of  the  experiments  made  for  their  im 
provement  ;  one  experiment  alone  having  cost  the  English  Gov 
ernment  seven  millions  pounds  sterling.  He  considered  the 
Dahlgren  and  Rodman  patents  both  good,  and  reliable  for 
most  purposes.  "  But  in  these  times,"  he  said,  "without  un 
dervaluing  them,  I  would  prove  all  things,  and  hold  fast  to  that 
which  is  good."  Mr.  Forbes  concludes  his  letter  by  saying,  — 

"  Nothing  from  Colonel  Lowell's  cavalry  since  yesterday  morning, 
when  they  started  for  another  reconnoissance.  A  week  ago,  the  crows 
looked  wistfully  at  their  horses,  as  if  they  had  a  right  to  them ;  and, 
when  they  return  from  this  week's  service,  I  fancy  it  will  only  be 
the  hides  and  bones  left  to  pick.  They  are  called  better  than  the 
average  !  I  am  glad  to  say,  Major  Crowninshield's  battalion  has  been 


DEATH  OF  COLONEL  SHAW.  487 

ordered  up  from  Fortress  Monroe  ;    so  Lowell  will  Lave  his  whole 
regiment  together." 

Nothing  more  appears  on  the  Governor's  files  respecting  the 
purchase  of  the  guns,  mentioned  by  Mr.  Forbes.  The  Gov 
ernor  visited  Washington  about  this  time,  saw  Mr.  Forbes  and 
the  ordnance  officer,  and  doubtless  decided  not  to  purchase  them 
for  the  State,  as  they  never  were  received  here. 

We  have  already  stated  that  Colonel  Shaw,  of  the  Fifty- 
fourth  Regiment  Massachusetts  Colored  Volunteers,  was  killed 
in  leading  his  command  in  the  attack  upon  Fort  Wagner.  We 
find  on  the  Governor's  records,  dated  July  31,  and  addressed 
to  Francis  George  Shaw,  Esq.,  the  father  of  the  Colonel,  this 
letter  : — 

"  I  send  to  you,  with  this,  copies  of  letters  which  I  have  received 
from  Colonel  Littlefield  and  Dr.  Stone,  by  this  morning's  mail.  Noth 
ing  which  I  can  write  can  express  as  I  would  wish  the  affectionate 
sympathy  with  which  I  am  sincerely  yours,"  &c. 

The  letter  of  Colonel  Littlefield,  who  signs  himself  "  Colonel 
Fourth  South-Carolina  Volunteer  Cavalry  Regiment,"  is  of  more 
than  ordinary  interest.  We  do  not  know  who  Colonel  Littlefield 
was  ;  but  he  may  have  commanded  a  regiment  of  colored  troops 
raised  in  South  Carolina.  His  letter  is  dated  "  Headquarters 
Fifty-fourth  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  Morris  Island,  S.C.,  in 
the  field,  July  24,  1863."  He  had  been  placed,  by  order  of 
General  Gilmore,  in  command  of  the  Fifty-fourth  after  the  death 
of  Colonel  Shaw,  the  Lieutenant-Colonel  being  unfit  for  duty  by 
reason  of  severe  wounds.  He  states  that  the  Fifty-fourth 
Regiment  was  selected  to  lead  the  storming  party  upon 
Wagner,  because  they  had  distinguished  themselves  on  James 
Island  one  week  before,  and  adds,  — 

"  I  witnessed  the  charge,  and,  though  no  way  connected  with  the 
regiment,  I  feel  it  my  duty  to  bear  testimony  to  the  valor  and  bravery 
of  the  entire  command.  Colonel  Shaw  marched  his  men  up  to  the 
fort,  where  he  fell  with  twenty  or  thirty  of  his  command.  The  bodies 
of  two  of  his  men  were  found  dead  on  the  top  of  him.  The  bearer  of 
the  State  flag  marched  to  the  parapet  with  the  bearer  of  the  United- 
States  colors.  One  of  the  rebels  caught  the  State  flag,  and  tore  it 
from  the  staff.  The  bearer  held  to  the  staff,  and  brought  it  off  with 


488  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

him,  though  his  guard  was  shot  by  his  side.  The  bearer  of  the  United- 
States  colors  was  severely  wounded  in  the  breast.  He  fell  upon  his 
knees,  but  with  one  hand  upon  his  wound ;  with  the  other,  he  held 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  erect,  and  upon  his  knees  brought  them  off  the 
field,  saying,  *  The  flag  has  not  been  on  the  ground.7  He  was  carried 
to  the  hospital,  still  bearing  the  flag ;  and,  as  he  entered,  his  wounded 
brothers  gave  cheers  for  the  flag  and  the  bearer.  I  mention  these 
as  but  a  few  of  many  instances  of  bravery  during  the  charge. 

"  Of  the  death  of  Colonel  Shaw  and  his  burial,  we  have  received  in 
formation  by  a  flag  of  truce.  He  was  buried  at  Fort  Wagner  on 
Sunday  last.  We  also  learned  that  all  the  prisoners  taken  of  the  Fifty- 
fourth  Regiment  are  in  confinement  at  Charleston,  waiting  action  of 
their  Government.  So  say  the  officers." 

The  letter  of  Surgeon  Lincoln  R.  Stone  bears  the  same  date. 
He  says  that  Colonel  Shaw  was  shot  dead  through  the  heart, 
and  was  buried  in  the  fort.  He  was  seen  to  fall  from  the 
parapet  inside  the  fort,  and  the  fire  was  very  severe  indeed 
when  the  enemy  opened.  "  I  need  not  say  that  he  fell  at  the 
head  of  his  regiment :  all  who  knew  him  would  know  that." 
Surgeon  Stone  then  gives  a  detailed  account  of  the  assault  upon 
Fort  Wagner,  and  a  list  of  the  casualties  in  the  regiment.  He 
concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  Neither  Colonel  Littlefield  nor  I,  however,  can  tell  you  of  the 
great  shock  and  grief  we  feel  at  our  losses,  both  in  officers  and  men, — 
only  so  lately,  with  all  bright  anticipations  of  the  future,  leaving  home 
and  friends.  It  is  almost  impossible  to  realize  it.  There  remains, 
however,  the  consciousness  that  they  all  fell  nobly  and  bravely  at  the 
very  front,  —  at  the  head  of  the  regiment,  —  as  a  soldier  should 
fall." 

A  copy  of  these  letters  were  also  forwarded  by  the  Governor 
to  Mrs.  Ogclen  Ilaggerty,  Lenox,  Mass.,  with  a  letter  con 
cluding  with  these  words  :  "  With  sincere  and  respectful  re 
gards,  both  for  yourself  and  for  Mrs.  Shaw,  to  whom  I  beg 
especially  to  tender  my  cordial  sympathy."  Mrs.  Ha^gerty 
was  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Shaw,  whose  residence  was  in  the  city 
of  New  York.  Colonel  Shaw  was  married  only  a  few  months 
before  his  death. 

On  the  thirty-first  day  of  July,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Major- 


RECRUITING    VETERAN    REGIMENTS.  489 

General   Dix,  commanding   the  Department   of  the   East,   as 
follows  :  — 

"  I  propose  to  station  one  of  the  companies  of  heavy  artillery, 
which  I  am  raising  here  for  coast  defence,  at  the  city  of  Salem ;  and  it 
may  be  a  convenience  for  them  to  have  official  authority  to  occupy  the 
pile  of  old  bricks  there,  which  is  called  Fort  Pickering,  and  of  which 
the  only  tenant  at  present  is  a  superannuated  ordnance-sergeant,  who 
sells  beer  and  lets  fishing-rods." 

At  this  time  there  had  been  nothing  clone  by  the  Government 
to  place  old  Fort  Pickering  in  a  defensible  position.  It  is  on 
what  is  called  Winter  Island,  and  commands  the  harbor  of 
Salem.  It  had  no  guns,  and  was  precisely  in  the  position 
named  by  the  Governor.  He  asked  of  General  Dix  authority 
to  station  the  companies  then  being  raised  for  coast  defence,  as 
the  latter  might  think  best.  Shortly  afterwards,  a  fortification  of 
earthworks  was  erected  at  this  place,  and  guns  placed  therein ; 
and  one  company  was  stationed  there,  and  remained  until  the 
end  of  the  war. 

On  the  llth  of  August,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Governor 
Tod,  of  Ohio, - 

"  I  have  had  the  honor  to  receive  from  you  a  copy  of  the  warrant 
for  the  commitment  of  John  Morgan,  and  the  principal  officers  of  his 
command,  to  the  Ohio  Penitentiary  ;  and  I  beg  to  express  to  you  my 
congratulations  on  the  energy  and  success  with  which  the  pursuit  of 
them  was  conducted,  and  their  capture  effected." 

This  letter  has  reference  to  the  defeat  and  capture  of  the  well- 
known  rebel  chief,  who  entered  Ohio  with  his  command,  and 
made  a  raid  upon  the  peaceable  inhabitants  of  that  State. 

On  the  llth  of  August,  the  Governor  wrote, — 

"  The  Adjutant-General  will  please  examine  and  report  to  me 
whether  it  is  not  practicable  to  commence  recruiting  immediately,  with 
a  prospect  of  success,  a  regiment  of  veteran  volunteers,  having  its 
headquarters  at  Worcester,  and  with  Captains  Wolcott  and  Harlow, 
lately  of  the  Twenty-first  Regiment,  as  lieutenant-colonel  and  major 
respectively.  The  within  letter  of  the  Hon.  Dwight  Foster  (Attorney- 
General  of  the  State)  is  herewith  sent  for  your  examination.  Please 
return  it  to  my  files.  I  wish  to  start  such  a  regiment  earlier  than 
Mr.  Foster's  opinion  seems  to  indicate." 


490  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  proposition  here  made  was  found,  upon  examination,  to 
be  for  the  time  impracticable.  Veteran  regiments,  as  they  were 

called, that  is,  regiments  composed  of  men  who  had  not  been 

less  than  nine  months  in  service,  —  were  subsequently  raised,  and 
served  to  the  end  of  the  war.  All  of  them  were  in  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac,  and  advanced,  under  the  lead  of  General  Grant 
and  General  Meade,  across  the  Eapidan,  fought  their  way 
through  the  thickets  of  the  Wilderness,  and  in  every  battle  of 
that  memorable  closing  campaign  of  the  war,  marched  to  the 
front  at  Petersburg,  and,  in  the  early  spring  of  1865,  advanced 
with  the  great  Army  of  the  Potomac  upon  Lee's  works,  from 
which  he  was  driven,  the  rebel  army  routed,  and  the  war  closed. 

About  this  time,  the  Governor  was  anxious  to  have  the 
volunteer  militia  of  the  Commonwealth  recruited  to  the  full 
limit  prescribed  by  law.  He  wished  to  have  three  regiments  of 
infantry  raised  in  Boston  and  vicinity.  It  was  suggested  to 
him,  that  they  could  be  raised,  if  assurances  were  given,  that,  in 
no  event,  would  they  be  sent  beyond  the  boundaries  of  the 
State.  On  the  10th  of  September,  he  wrote  to  Colonel  Henry 
Lee,  Jr.,  one  of  his  personal  staff,  — 

"  It  would  be  as  well  to  have  no  force  as  to  limit  its  operations 
to  the  State  line  of  Massachusetts.  If  Portland  or  Newport  should 
be  invaded,  Massachusetts  men  would  be  unspeakable  fools,  as  well  as 
arrant  cowards,  not  to  repel  that  invasion  equally  with  one  over  our 
own  borders.  ...  If  the  people  of  Boston,  men  of  money,  of  busi 
ness,  of  influence,  of  intelligence,  and  of  families,  have  not  interest 
enough  in  their  own  lives,  fortunes,  families,  and  honor,  to  raise  three 
regiments,  I  hardly  think  any  tinkering  on  my  part  could  do  any  good. 
We  are  in  imminent  danger  —  never  so  great  before  —  of  foreign  war. 
Are  we  to  cavil  about  the  exertion  needed  to  train  three  thousand  able- 
bodied  citizens  for  our  defence  ?  When  the  enemy  thunders  at  the  gates 
of  our  citadel  of  fancied  ease  and  security,  it  will  be  too  late." 

It  was  not,  however,  until  after  the  close  of  the  Rebellion, 
that  the  militia  of  the  Commonwealth  was  recruited  to  five 
thousand  men  in  the  entire  State,  and  properly  organized. 

The  success  which  attended  the  recruitment  of  two  regiments 
of  colored  infantry  induced  the  Governor,  at  the  instance  of 
Professor  Parsons,  of  the  Dane  Law  School,  Cambridge,  to 


PLAN  TO  ATTACK  BOSTON.  491 

obtain,  if  possible,  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  authority  to 
recruit  a  regiment  of  colored  cavalry.  On  the  10th  of  Sep 
tember,  Mr.  Stanton  wrote  to  the  Governor,  in  reply,  — 

"  My  own  impressions  are  entirely  in  favor  of  the  measure.  The  in 
fantry  regiments  raised  by  you  have  settled  the  question  of  the  colored 
man's  fitness  for  infantry  service ;  and  I  think  that  you  would  be  able 
to  demonstrate,  in  a  manner  equally  satisfactory,  their  adaptation  for 
cavalry  service,  which  is  the  only  point  of  dispute  remaining  unsettled. 
The  main  difficulty  is  that  suggested  by  Mr.  Parsons  and  yourself  in 
regard  to  obstacles  or  jealousies  that  might  arise  in  other  States. 
This  does  not  seem  to  me  to  be  insurmountable.  Still,  the  question 
is  one  in  respect  to  v\  Inch  I  desire  some  further  time  for  consideration 
and  conference  ;  but  I  will  speedily  give  a  definite  answer  to  your 
proposition,  my  present  purpose  being  only  to  explain  the  reason  for 
delay." 

Leave  to  raise  the  regiment  was  subsequently  given ;  and 
early  in  the  year  1864  the  regiment  was  raised,  and  designated 
the  Fifth  Regiment  of  Massachusetts  Cavalry. 

On  the  26th  of  September,  the  Governor  received  a  confi 
dential  letter,  from  a  gentleman  of  the  highest  respectability, 
from  which  we  make  the  following  extracts  : — • 

"  Commander  Maffit,  of  the  Confederate  steamer  '  Florida,'  was 
formerly  engaged  in  the  service  of  the  Coast  Survey,  and  is  as 
familiar  with  our  coast  and  harbor  as  any  pilot.  I  am  told  that  he 
had  recently  said,  while  in  Paris,  that  it  had  been  his  intention  to  run 
into  Boston  and  New  York,  and  shell  those  cities,  but  that  he  was  pre 
vented  by  the  attempt  of  Reed  at  Portland,  as  he  feared  that  occur 
rence  had  alarmed  our  Government,  and  that  we  were  now  prepared 
to  prevent  his  entrance.  During  the  present  week,  I  have  endeavored 
to  inform  myself  how  well  we  are  prepared.  I  learn,  with  astonish 
ment,  that  at  this  late  day  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  the  *  Florida  '  and 
1  Alabama,'  or  any  other  vessel,  from  coining  directly  up  to  our  city. 
All  they  have  to  do  is  to  fly  the  American  or  English  nag,  and  they 
come  directly  by  the  forts.  There  is  no  order  at  either  of  the  forts  to 
stop  any  vessel.  Besides  this,  from  my  personal  observation,  I  am  con 
vinced  that  -  -  is  entirely  unfit  for  the  place  he  occupies.  This 
subject  is  now  before  you ;  and,  if  any  disaster  arise,  the  public  will 
naturally  look  to  you  for  explanation" 

A  copy  of  this  letter  was  sent  to  the  President  of  the  United 


492  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

States,  with  a  long  endorsement  on  the  back  of  it,  from  which 
we  extract  the  concluding  paragraph  :  - 

"  I  am  perfectly  confident,  that,  if  I  was  authorized  to  place  our 
heavy  artillery  companies,  used  for  the  harbor  defence  of  Massa 
chusetts,  under  a  regimental  organization,  I  could  appoint  a  colonel 
whose  activity,  discretion,  and  capacity  to  command  these  forts,  could 
be  safely  relied  upon." 

The  permission  asked  for  was  never  granted. 

A  telegraph  wire  was  laid,  connecting  Fort  Independence  and 
Fort  Warren,  which  was  completed  Oct.  6,  on  which  clay  the 
first  message  was  sent,  as  follows  :  — 

"  Governor  Andrew  is  happy  to  exchange  congratulations  with  Col 
onel  Jones  at  the  intimate  relations  this  day  established  with  Fort 
Independence." 

Colonel  Jones,  United-States  Army,  was  at  this  time  in  com 
mand  of  Fort  Independence. 

On  the  same  day,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Senator  Surnner,  — 

"  If  you  and  Wilson  will  only  re-enforce  my  efforts,  perhaps  I  might 
be  permitted  to  organize  our  light  batteries  into  a  regiment.  Though 
other  States  have  done  so,  as  yet  we  have  riot  been  allowed  to 
do  it." 

We  have  already  stated  that  permission  never  was  given  by 
the  War  Department,  and  our  batteries  remained  as  company 
organizations  until  the  end  of  the  war. 

On  the  7th  of  October,  the  Governor  requested  the  Adjutant- 
General  — 

"  To  report  to  me  to-morrow  a  precise  statement  of  the  ordnance 
now  already  mounted  on  each  of  the  forts  in  Boston  Harbor :  exhibit 
ing  the  number  of  guns,  weight  of  metal,  calibre,  and  description,  of 
whose  manufacture,  and  whether  rifled  or  smooth-bore  ;  what  guns 
have  been  delivered,  but  not  yet  mounted ;  what  addition  to  the  arma 
ment  of  the  forts  Major  Blunt  expects  will  be  accomplished  this  au 
tumn.  Please  report  to  me  also  the  precise  condition  of  each  of  the 
heavy-artillery  companies  raised  for  coast  defences,  giving  the  name 
of  eacli  commanding  officer,  of  each  person  recruiting  for  each  com 
pany,  and  the  number  of  men  each  company  has  mustered  in." 

On  the  next  day,  the  Adjutant- General  submitted  the  follow 
ing  report :  — 


THE  CONDITION  OF  HARBOR  DEFENCES.        493 

"  Iii  obedience  to  your  Excellency's  request  for  certain  exact 
information  of  the  present  condition  of  the  armament  of  the  forts  in 
Boston  Harbor,  and  the  strength  and  condition  of  the  garrisons,  I 
visited  yesterday  Forts  Warren,  Independence,  and  Winthrop,  and 
Long  Island,  and  had  an  interview  with  the  several  commandants. 
Colonel  Dimmock  states  the  ordnance  at  Fort  Warren  as  follows :  — 

Mounted  in  Barbette. 
30     32-pounders. 
12       8-inch  Columbiads,  old  model  chambers. 

1       8-inch  sea-coast  howitzer. 

4     15-inch  Columbiads. 

In  Casemates. 

16       8-inch  Columbiads,  old  models. 
14  100-pounder  Parrott  guns,  rifled. 
1     15-inch  Colurnbiad,  not  yet  mounted. 

Total,  78  guns. 

"  Colonel  Dimmock  was  unable  to  inform  me  the  names  of  the  par 
ties  who  manufactured  the  guns.  They  were  probably  cast  at  different 
places.  The  character  and  make  of  the  guns  are  known  to  the  service 
by  the  names  which  are  given  them  above. 

"  From  Lieutenant- Colonel  Jones,  commanding  Fort  Independence, 
I  received  the  following  statement :  — 

Mounted  in  Barbette. 

27     32-pounder  guns. 

13  24-pounder  guns. 

2  10-inch  mortars. 

In  Casemates. 

8  10-inch  Columbiads. 

6  8-inch  „ 

4  15-inch  Columbiads,  dismounted,  no  carriages. 

3  32-pounder  guns,  „  „ 
21  24      „ 

14  24-pounder  howitzers,  mounted. 

6     24      „  „          dismounted. 

3       8-inch  Columbiads,  *  miserable.' 

Total,  107 


494  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    EEBELLION. 

"  From  Fort  Independence  I  crossed  over  to  Fort  Winthrop  to  see 
Major  Blunt,  but  he  was  not  there.  I  found  him,  however,  last  even 
ing,  at  his  residence,  No.  22,  Chestnut  Street,  Charlestown.  The 
condition  of  Fort  Winthrop  is  as  follows :  — 

Mounted. 

18  10-inch  Columbiads,  latest  pattern   (Rodman),  throw  125-lb.  solid 

shot. 

4  10-inch  Columbiads,  old  model. 

7     8-inch  Columbiads,  latest  pattern  (Rodman),  carry  65-lb.  shot. 
7  24-pounders,  old. 

"Major  Blunt  is  ready  at  Fort  Winthrop  for  sixty-seven  10-inch 
guns,  and  one  15-inch.  He  will  probably  be  ready  this  fall  for  eighty 
10-inch  guns,  and  ten  15-inch.  He  is  unable  to  say  when  these  guns 
will  be  received.  The  ordnance  officer  only  can  give  the  information. 

"  He  will  be  ready  for  the  four  15-inch  guns  at  Fort  Independence 
'  this  fall.'  He  is  ready  now  for  fifty -four  10-inch  guns  at  Fort  War 
ren,  and  will  be  ready  for  a  hundred  or  a  hundred  and  fifty  more  at 
this  fort  this  fall. 

"The  casemate  armament  of  Forts  Warren  and  Independence  is 
complete. 

"  No  foreign-made  guns  are  in  any  of  the  forts  in  the  harbor. 

"  Major  Blunt  was  further  pleased  to  inform  me  that  the  new  fort 
at  Eastern  Point,  Gloucester,  will  be  ready  for  a  garrison  in  the  bomb 
proof  quarters  built  by  him,  by  the  15th  of  November.  It  has  seven 
32-pounder  guns  with  casemate  carriages.  Fort  Lee,  at  Salem,  is  al 
most  finished.  Four  8-inch  Columbiads  will  be  mounted  there  this 
month.  Forts  Pickering  (Salem)  and  Sewell  (Marblehead)  will  not 
be  ready  for  their  armament  for  several  weeks.  It  is  not  likely  that 
any  thing  heavier  than  24  or  32-pounders  can  be  got  for  these  works. 
The  quartermaster  must  provide  quarters  for  the  men. 

"  The  battery  at  Long  Point,  Provincetown,  will  be  finished  '  by 
cold  weather.'  It  will  be  mounted  with  eight  32-pounders.  The  bat 
tery  will  be  an  open  one,  and  the  quartermaster  must  furnish  quarters 
for  the  men. 

"  The  works  at  Plymouth  are  just  begun.  The  armament  is  unset 
tled,  but  probably  will  be  five  guns. 

"  This  is  all  the  information  I  have  been  able  to  gather  respecting  the 
forts  and  armaments.  Major  Blunt  made  a  special  report  to  General 
Totten  about  two  weeks  ago,  showing  the  condition  of  the  Boston  works 


THE  COMPANIES  IN  THE  FORTS.  495 

as  to  armament ;  a  copy  of  which  he  thinks  your  Excellency  could 
obtain  by  application  to  General  Totten. 

Condition  of  each  Company  of  Heavy  Artillery. 

Co.  A,  1.  Captain  James  H.  Baldwin,  Fort  Warren,  142  men. 
Co.  B,  2.  Captain  Niebuhr,  Fort  Warren,  146  men. 
Co.  C,  3.  Captain  Lyman  B.  Whiton,  Fort  Independence,  119  men. 
Co.  D,  4.  Captain  C.  F.  Livermore,  Fort  Warren,  122  men. 
Co.  E,  5.  Captain  T.  J.  Little,  Concord,  N.H.,  132  men. 
Co.  F,  6.  Captain  John  A.  P.  Allen,  New  Bedford,  141  men. 
Co.  G,  7.  Captain  George  E.  Worcester,  Fort  Warren,  137  men. 
Co.  H,  8.  Captain  Loring  S.  Richardson,  Long  Island,  111  men. 
Co.  I,  9.   Captain  Leonard  Gordon,  Long  Island,  111  men. 
Co.  K,  10.  Captain  Cephas  C.  Bumpas,  Long  Island,  112  men. 

"  Company  L  (11),  Captain  Thomas  Herbert,  lias  147  men  enlisted, 
36  of  whom  are  claimed  as  drafted  men ;  and  therefore  he  has  not 
been  able  to  have  his  company  mustered  in.  He  lacks  six  men  to  be 
mustered  in  as  a  minimum  company,  exclusive  of  the  men  claimed  as 
drafted.  The  men  are  at  Fort  Independence. 

"  Company  M  (12),  Captain  J.  M.  Richardson,  reported  on  the  6th 
inst.  42  enlisted  men.  They  are  at  Salem. 

"  The  affore^ate  of  enlisted  men  and  commissioned  officers  in  the 

s«r>      r^ 

Fort  Warren  Battalion  is  704  ;  of  which  one  company  (Captain  Lit 
tle's)  is  on  detached  service  at  Concord,  N.H.,  at  camp  of. drafted  men. 
I  respectfully  submit  that  this  company  should  be  ordered  to  the  fort, 
as  I  understand  General  Hinks  has  two  companies  of  the  Invalid  Corps 
for  guard  duty  at  his  camp. 

Recruiting  Officers. 

"  The  companies  which  have  recruiting  officers  in  service  are  the 
8th,  Captain  L.  S.  Richardson;  the  9th,  Captain  Gordon;  the  10th, 
Captain  Bumpas;  the  llth,  Captain  Herbert;  and  the  12th,  Captain 
J.  M.  Richardson. 

"  The  8th  company  has  twenty  recruits  not  mustered  in,  which 
makes  its  aggregate  of  enlisted  men  in  camp  at  Long  Island  131. 

"  The  9th  company  has  ten  recruits  not  mustered  in,  which  makes 
its  aggregate  of  enlisted  men  in  camp  at  Long  Island  121. 

"  The  10th  company  has  fifteen  recruits  not  mustered  in,  which 
makes  its  aggregate  of  enlisted  men  in  camp  at  Long  Island  127. 

"  Total  number  of  enlisted  men  on  duty  at  Long  Island,  379. 

"  All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted." 


496  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

We  have  quoted  the  whole  of  this  report,  because  it  shows 
the  exact  condition  of  our  coast  defences  near  the  close  of  the 
year  1863,  the  third  year  of  the  war. 

The  letters  of  the  Governor,  from  this  time  to  the  end  of 
the  year,  relate  to  a  variety  of  subjects,  but  chiefly  in  regard  to 
the  coast  defences.  Colonel  Ritchie,  of  his  staff,  was  sent  to 
Europe,  Sept.  16,  to  contract  with  parties  in  England  for 
heavy  ordnance,  which  was  the  great  necessity  of  the  times. 
His  letters  from  England,  acquainting  the  Governor  with  the 
progress  of  his  negotiations,  were  written  with  great  ability, 
and  displayed  an  intimate  knowledge,  both  theoretical  and  prac 
tical,  of  the  different  manufacture  of  heavy  arms,  not  surpassed 
by  many  of  the  regular  United-States  army  officers.  The  letters, 
also,  in  reply,  of  Mr.  John  M.  Forbes  and  of  Governor  An 
drew,  show  equal  knowledge  of  this  branch  of  the  service.  It 
would  be  impossible  to  give  even  an  abstract,  in  a  volume  like 
this,  of  all  of  the  interesting  and  useful  information  contained 
in  this  correspondence.  As  it,  however,  relates  to  a  subject 
which  occupied  the  attention  of  the  Governor  and  of  the  best 
minds  in  the  State,  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  of  the 
Rebellion,  and  which  in  importance  was  only  second  to  keeping 
our  regiments  full  at  the  front,  we  shall,  in  the  next  chapter, 
give  a  brief  narrative  of  what  was  done  in  England  by  Colonel 
Ritchie.  We  have  already  kept  up  a  running  narrative  of  the 
labors  performed  by  Governor  Andrew  and  Mr.  Forbes,  and 
of  the  action  taken  by  the  Legislature  and  the  Executive 
Council  upon  this  subject.  The  anxiety  felt  here  in  Boston, 
and  all  along  the  coast  of  Massachusetts,  for  the  defence  and 
safety  of  our  harbors,  appears  never  to  have  been  appreciated 
at  Washington,  or  if  appreciated,  which  is  probably  the  fact, 
neither  the  War  nor  the  Navy  Department  had  means  at  their 
command  to  afford  the  protection  which  our  exposure  to  attack 
demanded.  They  probably  did  all  they  could,  but  all  they  did 
was  not  sufficient  for  our  security. 

Not  only  was  it  regarded  as  of  the  utmost  importance  to 
have  the  forts  on  the  coast  properly  armed  and  garrisoned,  but 
it  was  also  deemed  of  the  greatest  necessity  to  have  iron-clad 
armed  vessels  to  defend  the  harbor  of  Boston,  and  to  cruise  in 
Massachusetts  Bav. 


GENERAL    WILLIAM    RAYMOND    LEE.  497 

Colonel  William  Raymond  Lee,  who  had  commanded  with 
distinguished  bravery  and  skill  the  Twentieth  Regiment  Mas 
sachusetts  Volunteers,  and  who  was  brevetted  brigadier-general 
for  brave  and  meritorious  services,  was  forced  by  ill  health,  and 
much  against  his  will,  to  resign  his  commission,  Dec.  17,  1862  ; 
and  was  commissioned  by  Governor  Andrew  chief  engineer,  with 
the  rank  of  brigadier-general,  Oct.  27,  1863,  on  the  Gov 
ernor's  staff.  General  Lee  was  a  graduate  of  West  Point, 
and  one  of  the  best  engineer  officers  in  the  Commonwealth. 
We  find  on  the  files  of  the  Governor  several  reports  made  by 
this  gentleman  in  regard  to  our  fortifications  and  coast  de 
fences,  accompanied  by  diagrams,  showing  his  great  skill  as  a 
draughtsman,  an  officer  of  comprehensive  mind,  and  thorough 
knowledge  of  military  defences,  and,  we  may  add,  of  in 
nate  modesty.  Some  of  these  reports  would  make  forty  pages 
of  this  volume  ;  and  we  venture  to  assert,  that  in  the  archives 
of  no  other  State,  nor  in  the  War  Department  at  Washington, 
can  there  be  found  papers  showing  greater  knowledge  of  mili 
tary  engineering,  and  a  more  comprehensive  grasp  of  the 
subject  of  coast  defences,  either  in  regard  to  fortifications, 
ordnance,  or  the  construction  of  iron-clads,  superior,  or  even 
of  equal  ability,  to  those  contained  in  these  reports  of  General 
Lee  to  the  Governor  of  this  Commonwealth. 

But  while  the  Governor,  his  personal  staff,  and  the  different 
departments  connected  with  the  war,  were  devoting  their  entire 
energies  continually  to  providing  suitable  defences  for  the  coast 
of  Massachusetts,  and  recruiting  men  for  new  regiments,  and  to 
fill  the  depleted  ranks  of  our  veteran  commands  in  the  field, 
surmounting  obstacles,  overcoming  prejudice  which  at  times 
seemed  almost  insurmountable,  borne  down  with  cares  and 
labor  of  nearly  three  years  of  incessant  war,  the  political  ele 
ments  of  the  State  remained  active. 

On  the  3d  of  September,  the  Democratic  party  held  a  State 
convention  at  Worcester,  to  which  were  invited  not  only  dele 
gates  of  the  Democratic  party,  but  those  from  other  citi 
zens  disposed  to  co-operate  with  them.  The  convention  was 
very  large,  and  opposition  to  the  national  Administration  had 
been  strengthened  and  intensified.  The  active  and  energetic 

32 


498  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

policy  of  Governor  Andrew,  the  favor  with  which  he  regarded 
the  enlistment  of  colored  soldiers,  the  force  and  frequency  with 
which  he  urged  the  abolition  of  domestic  slavery,  his  stern  and 
unfaltering  determination  to  have  the  war  fought  through  until 
the  rebels  laid  down  their  arms  and  sued  for  peace,  had  dis 
posed  many,  who  looked  forward  to  a  compromise  of  our 
difficulties  with  the  Confederate  States  as  the  most  likely  means 
to  bring  about  peace  and  a  restoration  of  the  Union,  to  oppose 
his  re-election.  The  arbitrary  arrests  of  citizens,  and  their  con 
finement  in  prisons  and  fortifications  without  explanation,  and  in 
many  cases  without  bringing  them  to  trial,  operated  powerfully 
upon  some  minds  to  condemn  the  national  Administration,  and 
to  regard  with  distrust  the  men  composing  it.  The  riots  in 
July  also  showed  that  there  was  a  strong  element  of  dissatis 
faction  among  a  portion  of  the  more  humble  class  of  citizens. 
Such  was  the  state  of  public  feeling  when  the  two  great 
parties  in  the  Commonwealth  held  their  conventions  to  make 
State  nominations  in  the  fall  of  1863.  The  Democratic  Con 
vention  was  held  first.  We  give  a  brief  abstract  of  its 
proceedings. 

Phineas  Allen,  of  Pittsfield,  was  chosen  temporary  chair 
man.  Judge  J.  G.  Abbott,  of  Boston,  being  called  upon, 
made  a  speech,  arid  said,  — 

'k  I  understand  this  convention  to  be  the  freest  and  broadest  invita 
tion  to  all  men  who  agree  with  you  and  me  in  this  dark  hour,  when  we 
have  arrived  at  the  very  brink  of  that  abyss  which  the  '  Defender  of 
the  Constitution '  prayed  he  might  never  behold,  —  the  abyss  of  dis 
union,  when  States  have  been  torn  asunder,  and  the  land  drenched  with 
fraternal  blood.  I  mean  to  be  true  to  the  Union,  by,  through,  and 
under  the  Constitution,  —  nothing  more  nor  less.  That  Constitution, 
in  my  judgment,  is  the  only  chart  by  which  we  can  steer  in  this  bot 
tomless  abyss,  the  only  anchor  that  will  hold  us,  and  the  only  guide 
to  our  steps.  .  .  .  Mr.  Lincoln  has  said  that  silence  on  matters  per 
taining  to  our  country,  though  not  a  crime,  is  an  offence.  I  propose, 
for  once,  to  be  obedient  to  the  commands  of  His  Excellency  the 
President  of  the  United  States.  I  will  agree  to  be  imprisoned  or 
banished,  if  I  do  keep  silence  ;  and,  if  I  am,  I'll  speak,  so  help  me, 
God." 

Dr.   George  B.  Loring,  of   Salem,  was    the   next   speaker. 


DEMOCRATIC  CONVENTION.  499 

His  name  having  been  received  with  some  dissatisfaction,  he 
said  he  regretted  that  anybody  should  oppose  his  speaking 
in  a  Democratic  convention.  He  was  a  true  Democrat,  and, 
as  such,  entitled  to  counsel  with  the  members  of  his  party. 
He  was  for  State  rights  ;  and,  whereas  the  Administration  had 
said  that  a  part  of  the  States  were  put  in  the  condition  of  terri 
tories,  he  desired  to  meet  the  Administration  on  that  issue. 
He  desired  Democrats  to  go  into  this  campaign  with  their 
banners  inscribed  to  this  effect, — that,  when  a  State  presents 
herself  for  re-admission  to  the  Union,  the  doors  should  be 
thrown  open,  and  she  should  be  admitted. 

"  You  may  feel  wronged  that  your  fellow-citizens  are  arrested,  and 
that  such  outrages  are  perpetrated  by  the  Administration.  But  they 
are  those  things  which  will  pass  away.  There  is  one  great  thing  :  we 
are  still  free,  sovereign,  and  independent  States  under  the  Constitution. 
Do  they  ask,  Are  we  Peace  or  War  Democrats  ?  Tell  them  we  are 
constitutional  Democrats.  This  Administration  will  pass  away  as  the 
idle  wind.  Its  name  will  live  only  in  history  as  an  Administration 
which  subverted  the  rights  of  the  people,  until  they  rose  in  their  might, 
and  overthrew  it." 

Richard  S.  Spofford,  Jr.,  of  Newburyport,  was  chosen  per 
manent  president.  On  taking  the  chair,  Mr.  Spofford  made  an 
address,  of  considerable  length,  condemnatory  of  the  Adminis 
tration,  and  in  praise  of  State  rights. 

In  the  afternoon,  a  vote  was  taken  for  Governor,  and  a 
majority  was  given  for  Henry  W.  Paine,  of  Cambridge ;  and 
he  was  declared  the  nominee.  The  vote  stood,  —  Paine,  750; 
Dr.  Loring,  227  ;  J.  G.  Abbott,  72  ;  scattering,  5.  Mr. 
Paine  had  never  attended  a  Democratic  convention  before. 
He  had  been  a  prominent  Whig  in  the  palmy  days  of  that 
glorious  old  party.  In  the  speech  which  he  made  in  the 
convention,  just  previous  to  taking  the  ballot  by  which  he  was 
nominated,  he  said, — 

"  I  find  the  record  of  the  Democracy  has  pledged  that  party,  from  its 
earliest  existence,  to  the  perpetuity  of  the  Constitution,  of  the  Union, 
and  of  the  rights  of  the  States,"  — 


500  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

and  therefore  he  enrolled  himself  among  its  members  and 
supporters. 

The  resolutions,  sixteen  in  number,  were  reported  by  Mr. 
Averv,  of  Braintrce.  They  were  a  general  indictment  against 
the  national  Administration,  and  its  prominent  measures  in 
carrying  on  the  war.  The  fifteenth  declared,  — 

"  That  we  most  earnestly  desire  peace,  on  such  terms  as  would  be 
consistent  with  the  honor  of  our  nation,  and  secure  a  permanent  union 
of  the  States." 

The  Republican  Convention  met  at  Worcester,  on  the  24th 
of  September.  James  H.  Duncan,  of  Haverhill,  formerly  a 
member  of  Congress,  was  chosen  temporary  chairman,  and 
Thomas  I).  Eliot,  member  of  Congress  from  the  New-Bedford 
district,  was  elected  permanent  president.  The  address  of  Mr. 
Eliot  on  taking  the  chair  was  an  able  and  eloquent  defence  of 
the  policy  pursued  by  the  national  and  State  Administrations 
in  carrying  on  the  war.  It  was  the  duty  of  the  nation  to  use 
every  power  within  its  grasp  to  put  down  the  Rebellion,  and  to 
fight  the  rebel  forces  until  they  laid  down  their  arms.  He 
sketched  the  progress  of  the  Union  forces  from  the  be<nnnin£:  of 

1  O  c3  O 

the  war  up  to  this  time  ;  showing  that,  although  we  had  met 
with  reverses,  yet  we  had  steadily  and  successfully  made  pro 
gress,  which,  in  the  end,  was  sure  to  conquer  the  Confederate 
power. 

A  State  ticket,  with  John  A.  Andrew  at  its  head,  was 
nominated  by  acclamation  for  re-election,  and  with  entire 
unanimity. 

Speeches  were  also  made  by  Alfred  Macy,  of  Nantucket ; 
A.  II.  Bullock,  of  Worcester;  Richard  H.  Dana,  Jr.,  of 
Cambridge;  Henry  Wilson,  United- States  Senator;  and  ex- 
Governor  George  S.  Boutwell,  who  reported  a  series  of  ad 
mirable  resolutions,  which  were  adopted  by  the  convention. 
The  speeches  and  resolutions  breathed  but  one  sentiment,  and 
expressed  but  one  purpose,  which  was  to  sustain  the  national 
and  State  Governments,  and  to  carry  on  the  war  with  undi- 
minished  vigor  until  peace  was  conquered,  and  human  slavery 
for  ever  rooted  out  of  the  land. 


THE    REPUBLICAN    CONVENTION.  501 

Both  conventions  passed  resolutions  complimenting  the  bra 
very,  and  expressing  sympathy  for  the  sacrifices,  of  our  war 
worn  heroes  at  the  seat  of  war. 

The  election  took  place  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  November, 
and  resulted  as  follows  :  for  John  A.  Andrew,  70,483  votes  ; 
for  Henry  W.  Paine,  29,207;  all  others,  77,  —  majority  for 
Governor  Andrew,  41,199,  the  largest  he  had  received  in  any 
election. 

On  the  17th  of  October,  the  President  called  for  three  hun 
dred  thousand  volunteers,  of  which  number  Massachusetts  was 
to  furnish,  as  her  contingent,  15,126  men.  At  this  time,  the 
bounty  paid  by  the  State,  to  each  three  years'  volunteer,  was  $50, 
and  the  bounty  paid  by  the  United  States  $100.  Business,  in 
all  its  branches,  was  in  a  highly  prosperous  condition.  Money 
was  plenty,  wages  high,  and  labor  in  great  demand;  so  that  it 
was  difficult  to  fill  our  army,  and  meet  the  calls  of  the  Presi 
dent,  without  the  inducement  of  larger  bounties.  The  desire 
to  avoid  a  draft  wras  strong  and  universal  throughout  the 
State  ;  and  the  Governor  was  importuned  by  men  in  all  parts 
of  the  Commonwealth  to  call  an  extra  session  of  the  Legisla 
ture,  that  means  might  be  devised  by  which  a  draft  would  be 
avoided.  He  accordingly  did  so. 

The  Legislature  met  on  the  eleventh  day  of  November,  and 
the  Governor  delivered  his  address  on  the  same  day.  It  was 
entirely  devoted  to  the  subject  of  filling  the  quota  of  the  State 
under  the  new  call  of  the  President,  and  the  injustice  done  to 
the  two  colored  regiments  of  Massachusetts  by  the  Govern 
ment,  in  refusing  to  pay  them  the  same  as  white  troops.  He 
said,  to  aid  in  the  recruitment,  the  Secretary  of  War  had  offered 
to  all  persons,  who  had  served  for  a  period  of  not  less  than  nine 
months,  a  bounty  of  $402  ;  and  to  new  recruits  a  bounty  of 
$302,  if  they  enlisted  to  go  into  old  regiments  in  the  field. 
Each  volunteer  could  elect  for  himself  which  regiment  to  enter. 
He  advised  that  State  bounty  be  enlarged  ;  and  he  was  pre 
pared  to  assist  "  in  committing  the  Commonwealth  to  a  policy 
of  the  payment  of  regular  wages  to  the  Massachusetts  volunteers, 
in  addition  to  all  other  pay,  bounties,  and  advantages  hitherto 
enjoyed."  He  also  referred  to  the  order  of  the  Secretary  of 


502  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

War  favoring  the  re-enlistment  of  three  years'  volunteers  then 
in  service,  having  less  than  one  year  to  serve  of  their  original 
term,  and  recommended  that  inducements  should  be  held  out  by 
the  State  to  encourage  the  re-enlistment  of  these  veteran  sol 
diers. 

»'  I  hold  it,"  he  said,  "  to  be  not  only  of  grand  importance  to  secure 
the  existence  of  these  war-worn  regiments  while  the  war  shall  last, 
and  especially  the  services  of  these  tried  and  brave  old  soldiers  who 
composed  them,  but  it  would  only  be  an  act  of  grateful  justice  to 
proffer  them  the  utmost  advantages.  Indeed,  I  cannot  feel  that  it 
becomes  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  at  this  period  of  the  war,  to  act 
as  if  conscious  only  of  the  presence  of  an  impending  draft,  and  with  a 
view  only  to  its  prevention.  Gratitude,  manliness,  and  honor  alike 
concur  with  what  I  regard  as  the  statesmanlike  policy  of  the  situation 
to  encourage  those  meritorious  and  deserving  men  to  renew  their  en 
gagement  to  the  military  service." 

He  concluded  this  portion  of  his  address  as  follows  :  — 

"  Gentlemen,  the  President  of  the  United  States  demands  a  new 
recruitment  of  the  army  of  the  Union ;  and  it  must  be  had.  Massa 
chusetts  is  summoned  to  supply  her  proper  contingent.  She  cannot 
falter,  and  she  will  not  fail.  Three  hundred  thousand  men  added  now 
to  the  national  armies,  skilfully  distributed  and  led,  marching  in  aid 
of  the  forces  already  in  the  field,  would  sweep  the  Rebellion  from  the 
face  of  the  earth.  Our  columns,  falling  on  the  enemy,  already  con 
scious  of  his  waning  power,  and  barely  delaying  us  now  at  Charleston, 
on  the  Rapidan,  at  Chattanooga,  incapable  by  lack  of  population  to 
furnish  soldiers  to  recruit  again  his  own  wasting  ranks,  would  crush 
out,  by  their  very  weight  and  momentum,  every  organized  form  of  re 
sistance.  Rich  in  material  resources,  prosperous  even  in  the  midst  of 
war,  strong  in  hope  and  courage,  and  immensely  superior  in  numerical 
force,  the  loyal  people  of  the  United  States  need  only  to  avail  them 
selves  of  this  tide  in  their  affairs  to  restore  almost  at  a  blow  the  for 
tunes  of  the  republic,  and  to  vindicate  the  inevitable  supremacy  of  a 
national  power." 

The  remaining  part  of  the  address  is  occupied  in  discussing 
the  wrongs  of  our  colored  soldiers.  The  Governor  took  the 
ground  that  there  was  no  law  existing  which  made  a  distinction 
between  the  white  and  the  colored  volunteers  ;  and  therefore  to 


THE    ACTS    PASSED    BY    THE    LEGISLATURE.  503 

deny  the  colored  men  the  same  pay  which  the  whites  received 
was  not  only  unjust  in  itself,  but  was  without  the  authority  of 
law.  But,  as  the  evil  was  a  practical  one,  it  should  be  remedied 
at  once  ;  and  he  recommended  to  the  Legislature  that  an  ap 
propriation  of  money  be  made  to  supply  the  deficiency  in  the 
payment  of  our  colored  troops,  so  that  it  would  correspond  with 
the  pay  received  by  the  whites  ;  which  recommendation  was  re 
ceived  with  favor  by  the  Legislature,  and  an  act  was  passed  in 
accordance  with  the  recommendation.  The  pay  of  white  volun 
teers  was  thirteen  dollars  a  month  in  money,  and  three  dollars  a 
month  for  clothing.  The  colored  troops  had  been  allowed  the 
same  amount  for  clothing,  but  only  seven  dollars  a  month  in 
money. 

The  Legislature  was  in  session  seven  days.  It  met  on  the 
llth  of  November,  and  was  prorogued  on  the  18th  ;  during 
which  time  it  passed  the  following  acts  and  resolves  :  - 

An  act  to  make  up  the  deficiencies  in  the  Fifty-fourth 
and  Fifty-fifth  Regiments.  This  act  authorized  the  Governor 
to  appoint  paymasters  to  proceed  to  South  Carolina  to  pay  the 
men,  and  the  Treasurer  of  the  Commonwealth  to  borrow  such 
sums  of  money,  from  time  to  time,  as  may  be  necessary  to  carry 
the  act  into  effect. 

An  act  to  promote  enlistments  and  recruiting.  This  act 
prohibited  any  person  from  recruiting  except  under  authority 
from  the  Governor,  or  the  Government  of  the  United  States  ; 
and  provided  that  any  person  who  should  entice  or  solicit  men 
to  leave  the  Commonwealth  to  enter  military  service  elsewhere, 
should  be  subject  to  a  fine  not  exceeding  one  thousand  dollars, 
or  imprisonment  not  exceeding  six  months. 

An  act  to  provide  for  the  payment  of  bounties  for  vol 
unteers.  This  provided,  1st,  That  the  Governor  might  offer 
to  pay  a  bounty  of  $325  to  each  volunteer  who  should  enlist  for 
three  years  or  the  war,  and  should  duly  be  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States  and  credited  to  the  quota  of  the 
Commonwealth.  2d,  Said  bounty  to  be  paid  to  volunteers 
already  in  the  service  who  should  re-enlist  and  be  credited  to  the 
quota  of  Massachusetts.  3d,  It  also  provided  that  volunteers 
thus  enlisting  might  elect,  in  lieu  of  the  bounty  of  $325,  a  bounty 


504  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

of  fifty  dollars,  and  a  monthly  pay  of  twenty  dollars  so  long  as 
they  were  in  service  ;  and,  if  they  should  be  honorably  discharged 
after  six  months'  actual  service,  the  sum  of  twenty  dollars 
a  month  for  six  months  thereafter ;  and,  if  the  volunteer 
should  die  in  the  service,  the  sum  of  twenty  dollars  a  month, 
for  six  months  after  his  decease,  should  be  paid  to  his  lawful 
heirs.  4th,  It  also  extended  the  provisions  of  the  State-aid 
Act  to  the  families  of  the  volunteers.  5th,  It  authorized  the 
Governor  to  appoint  paymasters  to  pay  bounties.  6th,  Pay 
rolls  and  other  necessary  documents  connected  with  the  pay 
ment  of  the  bounties  were  to  be  made  and  prepared  by  the 
Adjutant-General.  The  pay-rolls  to  be  in  duplicate,  —  one 
to  be  deposited  with  the  Auditor,  and  one  with  the  Treas 
urer.  7th,  It  authorized  the  Treasurer,  under  direction  of  the 
Governor  and  Council,  to  borrow  money  to  carry  out  the  pro 
visions  of  the  act.  8th,  Persons  enlisting  were  to  be  credited 
to  the  town  or  ward  in  which  they  lived.  9th,  Persons  physi 
cally  disqualified  for  service,  enlisting  for  the  purpose  of  getting 
the  bounty,  were  to  be  punished  by  imprisonment  in  the  State 
Prison  not  exceeding  ten  years,  or  by  a  fine  not  exceeding  five 
hundred  dollars  and  imprisonment  in  the  jail  not  more  than 
two  years.  This  act  was  approved  Nov.  18,  and  took  effect 
upon  its  passage. 

A  resolve  was  passed  requesting  the  Senators  and  Representa 
tives  of  this  Commonwealth  in  Congress  to  urge  upon  that  body 
the  expediency  of  an  increase  of  pay  to  the  soldiers  in  the  ser 
vice  of  the  Government. 

Also  resolves  expressing  the  injustice  of  Congress  in  not 
allowing  credits  for  men  in  the  naval  service  ;  also  of  the  in 
justice  to  the  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  in  the  col 
ored  regiments,  in  not  allowing  them  the  same  pay  as  whites. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  commissioned  on  the  Govern 
or's  staff  during  the  year  18 03  :  — 

Eugene  Sturtevant,  assistant  adjutant-general,  Jan.  3,  with 
rank  of  first  lieutenant. 

Anson  P.  Hooker,  assistant  surgeon-general,  May  26,  with 
rank  of  major. 

Theodore  Lyman,  assistant  adjutant-general,  Aug.  15,  with 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel. 


NEW    STAFF    APPOINTMENTS.  505 

Nehemiah  Brown,  assistant  adjutant-general,  Aug.  18,  with 
rank  of  major. 

John  C.  Hoadly,  assistant  quartermaster-general,  Sept.  29, 
with  rank  of  captain. 

William  Raymond  Lee,  chief-engineer,  Oct.  24,  with  rank 
of  brigadier-general. 

James  Sturgis,  assistant  adjutant-general,  Nov.  24,  with 
the  rank  of  major. 

Colonel  Theodore  Lyman  was  commissioned  assistant  Adju 
tant-General  of  the  State,  that  he  might  accept  a  position  as  a 
volunteer  officer  on  the  staff  of  Major-General  Meade.  He  im 
mediately  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  served  on  the 
staff  of  General  Meade  until  the  close  of  the  war  with  distin 
guished  bravery  and  fidelity  to  duty.  There  are  few  instances 
on  the  military  record  of  Massachusetts  of  truer  patriotism  and 
more  ardent  devotion  to  the  cause  of  the  Union,  than  that  exhib 
ited  by  Colonel  Lyman.  He  gave  up  the  comforts  of  home  and 
family,  and  every  thing  which  high  character,  social  position, 
and  ample  wealth  could  procure,  to  endure  the  fatigues  and 
brave  the  dangers  of  a  volunteer  staff-officer,  in  one  of  the 
greatest  and  most  arduous  campaigns  of  which  the  world  bears 
record. 

During  the  year  1863,  11,538  volunteers  for  three  years'  ser 
vice  were  recruited  and  mustered  in,  making  the  aggregate  of 
three  years'  troops  furnished  for  the  war  63,359  ;  to  which  add 
16,837  nine  months'  men  and  3,736  three  months'  men,  and 
we  have  the  total  number  of  men  furnished  by  Massachusetts 
for  the  military  service,  from  April  16,  1861,  to  Dec.  30, 
1863,  of  eighty-three  thousand  nine  hundred  and  thirty-two 
(83,932). 

The  number  of  men  who  enlisted  in  Massachusetts  for  the 
naval  service  during  the  year  1863  was  3,686,  making  the  aggre 
gate  of  men  furnished  by  Massachusetts  from  the  commencement 
of  the  war  to  Dec.  30,  1863,  seventeen  thousand  three  hundred 
and  four  (17,304),  for  whom  no  credit  whatever  was  given  by 
the  General  Government,  and  who  did  not  count  upon  the  con 
tingent  of  the  State.  Add  these  to  the  men  furnished  for  the 
military  service  by  Massachusetts,  and  the  total  number  of  men 


506  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

furnished  by  this  Commonwealth  for  both  arms  of  the  service 
up  to  Dec.  30,  1863,  would  be  one  hundred  and  one  thousand 
two  hundred  and  thirty-six  (101,236). 

Such  was  the  record  of  the  State  when  the  Rebellion  entered 
upon  its  fourth  year. 


CHAPTER     X. 

The  Military  Camps  in  Massachusetts  —  Number  of  Troops  Jan.  1,  1864  — 
Where  Serving  —  Letter  of  Governor  to  Lewis  Hay  den  —  From  Miss  Upham 
—  Soldier's  Scrap-book  —  Letter  to  Samuel  Hooper  —  Sale  of  Heavy  Ord 
nance —  The  Condition  of  our  Defences  —  Colonel  Eitchie  in  England  — 
Meeting  of  the  Legislature — Organization — Addresses  of  Mr.  Field  and 
Colonel  Bullock  —  Address  of  the  Governor — Eloquent  Extract — Abstract 
of  Military  Laws  —  Members  of  Congress  —  Letter  to  John  B.  Alley  —  The 
Springfield  Companies  —  Secretary  Stanton  refuses  to  pay  them  Bounties  — 
Correspondence  in  Regard  to  it  —  Letters  from  General  Butler  —  Governor  to 
Miss  Upham  —  Complaints  about  Soldiers  at  Long  Island  —  Re-enlisted 
Veterans  —  Order  of  War  Department  —  Returns  of  Veteran  Regiments  — 
Their  Reception  —  Letter  to  General  Hancock  —  General  Burnside  reviews 
the  Troops  at  Readville  —  Letter  to  the  Christian  Watchman  —  General  An 
drews  — ;  Surgeon-General  Dale  —  Confederate  Money  — Letter  from  General 
Gordon — Battle  of  Olustee  —  Letter  to  Selectmen  of  Plymouth  —  A  Second 
Volume  of  Scrap-book  —  Letter  from  Mr.  Lovejoy  —  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Whittemore  —  Correspondence  —  The  Heavy  Artillery  —  Condition  of  Fort 
Warren  —  Misunderstanding — Secretary  Stanton  and  the  Governor — Colonel 
William  F.  Bartlett  —  His  Promotion  —  Earnest  Letter  to  Mr.  Sumner  — 
Troubles  about  Recruiting  —  Complaints  made  —  A  Convention  held  —  Letter 
of  the  Adjutant-General  —  The  Recruiting  of  New  Regiments  —  Forwarded 
to  the  Front  —  The  Advance  of  General  Grant. 

ON  the  1st  of  January,  1864,  there  were  three  camps  of  ren 
dezvous  for  enlisted  men  in  the  Commonwealth,  —  one  at  Long 
Island,  in  Boston  Harbor,  under  command  of  Brigadier-General 
Devens,  to  which  drafted  men  were  sent ;  "  Camp  Meigs,"  at 
Readville,  commanded  by  Brigadier-General  R.  H.  Peirce,  to 
which  recruits  for  old  regiments  were  sent ;  "  Camp  Wool," 
at  Worcester,  in  charge  of  Colonel  William  F.  Bartlett,  Fifty- 
seventh  Regiment,  was  specially  used  for  recruiting  and  organ 
izing  that  regiment.  The  number  of  men  at  each  of  these 
camps  was  as  follows:  Long  Island,  1,086;  "Camp  Meigs," 
2,270  ;  "Camp  Wool,"  300,  — total,  3,656. 

The  seventeen  nine  months'  regiments   had  returned  home ; 
and    Massachusetts    had    at    this    time,    in    the    service    of  the 


5*08  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

United  States,  thirty-six  regiments  of  infantry,  three  regiments 
of  cavalry,  two  regiments  of  heavy  artillery,  one  battalion 
and  eight  unattached  companies  of  heavy  artillery,  twelve  bat 
teries  of  light  artillery,  and  two  companies  of  sharpshooters. 
All  of  these  were  for  three  years'  service,  and  were  distributed 
as  follows  :  — 

The  First,  Seventh,  Ninth,  Tenth,  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  Thir 
teenth,  Fifteenth,  Sixteenth,  Eighteenth,  Nineteenth,  Twentieth, 
Twenty-second,  Twenty-eighth,  Thirty-second,  Thirty-seventh, 
Thirty-ninth  Regiments  of  Infantry,  First  Kegiment  of  Cavalry, 
the  Third,  Fifth,  Ninth,  Tenth  Light  Batteries,  First  and  Sec 
ond  Companies  of  Sharpshooters,  were  in  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac. 

The  Second,  Twenty-first,  Twenty-ninth,  Thirty-third,  Thirty- 
fifth,  and  Thirty-sixth  Regiments  of  Infantry  were  in  the  De 
partment  of  the  Ohio. 

The  Seventeenth,  Twenty- third,  Twenty-fifth,  Twenty-seventh 
Regiments  of  Infantry,  and  the  Second  Regiment  of  Heavy 
Artillery,  were  in  the  Department  of  Virginia  and  North 
Carolina. 

The  Twenty-fourth,  Fortieth,  Fifty-fourth,  Fifty-fifth  Regi 
ments  of  Infantry,  and  First  Battalion  of  Cavalry,  were  in  the 
Department  of  the  South. 

The  Twenty-sixth,  Thirtieth,  Thirty-first,  Thirty-eighth  Regi 
ments  of  Infantry,  and  the  Third  Regiment  of  Cavalry,  and  the 
Second,  Fourth,  Sixth,  Twelfth,  Thirteenth,  and  Fifteenth 
Companies  of  Light  Artillery,  were  in  the  Department  of  the 
Gulf. 

The  Thirty-fourth  Regiment  of  Infantry,  Second  Regiment 
of  Cavalry,  First  Regiment  of  Heavy  Artillery,  and  the  Seventh 
Company  of  Light  Artillery,  were  in  the  Department  of  Wash 
ington. 

The  First  Battalion,  and  the  Third,  Fifth,  Sixth,  Seventh, 
Eighth,  Ninth,  Tenth,  Eleventh,  and  Twelfth  Unattached  Com 
panies  of  Heavy  Artillery,  were  in  the  Coast  Defences  of 
Massachusetts. 

Shortly  after  this  date,  the  Third  Battalion  of  the  First  Regi 
ment  of  Cavalry  was  permanently  detached  from  that  regiment, 


RECRUITING    IN    OTHER    STATES.  509 

and  a  new  battalion  was  recruited  in  the  State,  attached  to  it,  and 
made  the  Fourth  Regiment  Massachusetts  Cavalry. 

The  Fourteenth  Eegiment  of  Infantry  was  changed  in  1862 
to  heavy  artillery. 

The  Forty-first  Regiment  of  Infantry,  in  the  Department  of 
the  Gulf,  was  changed  from  infantry  to  cavalry  ;  and  the  three 
unattached  companies  of  cavalry,  in  that  Department,  was 
consolidated  with  it,  and  the  organization  was  afterwards  known 
and  designated  as  the  Third  Regiment  Massachusetts  Cavalry. 

Lewis  Hayden,  formerly  a  slave  in  Kentucky,  but  who  had 
been  for  many  years  employed  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary 
of  State,  entered  warmly  into  the  business  of  recruiting  colored 
soldiers  for  Massachusetts,  and  visited  Pennsylvania  and  other 
States  to  advance  that  interest.  In  a  letter  directed  to  him 
when  in  Pennsylvania,  the  Governor  said,  — 

"I  do  not  favor  recruiting  for  Massachusetts  in  that  State,  and  I  do 
not  wish  to  be  understood  to  favor  it.  But  if,  by  work  in  Pennsyl 
vania,  you  can  help  those  fleeing  from  slavery  through  that  State  to 
reach  Massachusetts,  where  they  will  be  received  into  all  the  rights 
and  advantages  of  our  own  citizens,  I  shall  be  glad.  I  do  not  want 
either  to  speculate  out  of  the  blood  or  courage  of  colored  men ;  but  I 
rejoice  in  having  been  instrumental  in  giving  them  a  chance  to  vindi 
cate  their  manhood,  and  to  strike  a  telling  blow  for  their  own  race, 
and  the  freedom  of  all  their  posterity.  Every  race  has  fought  for 
liberty,  and  its  own  progress.  The  colored  race  will  create  its  own 
future,  by  its  own  brain,  hearts,  and  hands.  If  Southern  slavery 
should  fall  by  the  crushing  of  the  Rebellion,  and  colored  men  have  no 
hand,  and  play  no  conspicuous  part,  in  the  task,  the  result  would  leave 
the  colored  man  a  mere  helot ;  the  freedmen  a  poor,  despised,  sub 
ordinated  body  of  human  beings,  neither  strangers  nor  citizens,  but 
'  contrabands,'  who  had  lost  their  masters,  but  not  found  a  country. 
All  the  prejudices,  jealousies,  and  political  wishes,  of  narrow,  igno 
rant  men  and  demagogues  would  have  full  force,  and  the  black  man 
would  be  the  helpless  victim  of  a  policy  which  would  give  him  no 
peace  short  of  his  own  banishment.  The  day  that  made  a  colored 
man  a  soldier  of  the  Union,  made  him  a  power  in  the  laud.  It 
admitted  him  to  all  the  future  of  glory,  and  to  all  the  advantages 
of  honorable  fame,  which  pertained  to  men  who  belonged  to  the  cate 
gory  of  heroes.  No  one  can  ever  deny  the  rights  of  citizenship  in 
a  country  to  those  who  have  helped  to  create  it  or  to  save  it." 


510  MASSACHUSETTS    IX    THE    REBELLION. 

On  the  1st  of  January,  the  Governor  received  the  following 
letter  from  Miss  Philena  M.  Upham,  of  Leicester,  Massa 
chusetts  :  — 

"When  I  was  in  Queen-street  Hospital,  Alexandria,  with  my 
young  nephew,  who  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Cedar  Mountain, 
and  \vlio  has  since  died  of  his  wounds,  a  suffering  soldier  in  one  of  the 
hospitals  there  remarked,  'If  I  only  had  such  a  scrap-book  as  my  sister 
used  to  make,  wouldn't  I  enjoy  it  ?  '  The  wish  was  renewed  by  others. 
I  stored  their  desires  in  a  cell  of  my  brain  to  be  brought  forth  for 
future  use.  The  last  eleven  weeks,  I  have  assiduously  devoted  every 
moment  of  time  I  could  spare  from  housekeeping  duties  in  filling  an 
old  ledger  of  my  father's  with  quotations  to  win  some  wounded 
soldier's  smile.  Now,  sir,  if  you  think  the  book  will  achieve  the  pur 
pose  intended,  I  would  ask  you,  as  one  of  the  soldiers'  most  faithful 
friends,  to  bestow  it  as  a  free-will  offering  upon  the  hospital  where,  in 
your  judgment,  it  may  be  a  drop  in  the  bucket  towards  stealing  the 
minds  of  the  wounded  from  their  long  days  of  anguish  and  nights 
of  pain." 

This  letter  the  Governor  forwarded  the  next  day  to  Senator 
Sumner,  with  a  request  that  he  would  present  the  book  to  Miss 
Anna  Lowell,  "  for  the  use  of  the  patriots  of  the  Amory-square 
Hospital." 

"  I  am  sure,"  he  said,  "  that  you  will  be  interested,  as  a  philan 
thropist,  in  this  labor  of  love  for  the  soldiers,  and,  as  a  man  of  letters, 
in  the  very  unique  book  which  is  the  result  of  this  excellent  lady's 
industrious  zeal." 

On  the  5th  of  January,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Samuel 
Hooper,  member  of  Congress  from  this  State,  that  he  had 
been  informed  that  the  chief  of  the  Ordnance  Bureau  at  Wash 
ington  had  told  him  that  it  would  assume  the  guns  purchased 
or  contracted  for  by  Mr.  Forbes  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Ritchie 
on  account  of  Massachusetts,  and  would  pass  them  through  the 
Custom  House,  as  if  imported  for  account  of  the  United  States, 
but  on  condition  that  the  guns  correspond  with  the  United- 
States  army  calibres  :  — 

"  Now,"  said  the  Governor,  "  the  fact  must  be  well  known  to  any 
ordnance  officer  of  common  intelligence,  that  the  English  army  cali 
bres  and  ours  do  not  correspond.  The  Blakely  ordnance  and  Lowi- 


HARBOK   DEFENCES.  511 

noor  sixty -four-pounder  guns  cannot  be  strangers  to  the  reading  of 
our  officers.  But  the  Government  of  Massachusetts  was  aware,  one 
year  and  more  ago,  that  the  United  States  had  not,  and,  as  it  then 
stood,  could  not  possibly  procure  by  any  means  either  resorted  to  or 
contemplated  by  it,  more  than  two-sevenths  of  the  armament  for  its 
coast  and  harbor  defences  which,  in  the  event  of  a  foreign  war,  it 
confessedly  needed.  I  have  the  authoritative  statistics  in  proof.  Stern 
necessity  drove  us  to  look  out  for  our  own  principal  city  at  least. 
We  took  no  step  until  consulting  the  President,  Secretary  of  War, 
Secretary  of  the  Navy,  General  Totten,  General  Ripley,  and  General 
Meigs ;  and  we  moved  with  their  approbation.  The  ordnance  officers 
of  the  army  and  of  the  navy  have  each  their  pet  guns.  They  oppose 
each  other's  guns,  and  every  thing  else  but  the  Rodman  gun  and  the 
Dahlgren  gun,  though  they  have  had  to  submit  to  the  Parrott  gun. 
Now,  uniformity  of  calibre  is  convenient,  because  it  prevents  the 
necessity  of  varieties  of  ammunition.  But  it  is  more  convenient  to 
repel  invaders,  even  if  you  are  obliged  to  use  two  kinds  of  shot  and 
shell  to  do  it  with,  than  it  is  to  be  destroyed  or  captured  by  an  armed 
fleet,  notwithstanding  the  pleasure  it  might  give  the  Ordnance  Bureau 
to  use  but  one  kind  of  ammunition." 

The  Governor  illustrated  these  points  at  considerable  length, 
and  closed  with  this  paragraph  :  — 

"  I  hope  'you  will  not  at  all  be  discouraged  by  the  ordnance 
officers.  If  they  object,  please  go  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  At  a 
time  when  Long  Island  Head  and  Deer  Island  Spit  cannot  have  an 
earthwork  nor  a  gun  for  the  want  of  power  by  the  United  States 
to  supply  ordnance,  it  is  a  gross  and  miserable  absurdity  for  our 
people  at  Washington  to  turn  up  their  noses  at  guns,  the  production 
of  which  the  English  and  Russian  Governments  have  now  com 
pletely  monopolized,  so  that,  after  filling  our  antecedent  contracts,  we 
could  get  no  more  of  them  of  foreign  manufacture,  if  we  would." 

The  reader  will  have  noticed,  that,  from  the  outbreak  of  the 
war,  the  Governor's  attention  had  been  excited  by  the  defence 
less  condition  of  the  coast  of  Massachusetts  ;  and  as  early  as 
April  24,  1861,  he  sent  a  detachment  of  the  volunteer  militia 
to  occupy  the  forts  in  Boston  Harbor,  in  which,  since  the  with 
drawal  of  the  garrison  from  Fort  Independence  for  service  in 
the  South,  the  United  States  had  left  only  one  or  two  elderly 
ordnance -sergeants.  These  detachments  were  sufficient  to 


512  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 


guard  the  forts  from  being  seized  by  a  surprise,  and  held  by  the 
enemy  ;  but  the  armament  of  the  fort  was  so  defective,  that 
they  could  not  have  been  defended  against  a  serious  attack. 

In  Fort  Warren  there  was  only  one  old  condemned  gun  ; 
Fort  YVinthrop  was  equally  manned  ;  and,  though  Fort  Indepen 
dence  appeared  to  be  better  protected,  yet  its  few  guns  were  so 
old,  and  of  such  small  calibre,  as  to  be  in  reality  of  little  value. 
The  other  important  points  of  the  Massachusetts  coast  were 
either  not  at  all  or  still  worse  prepared  for  defence. 

Earnest  and  unceasing  efforts  were  made  to  induce  the  United- 
States  Government  to  remedy,  as  speedily  as  possible,  this 
dangerous  condition  of  affairs  ;  but,  under  the  immense  pressure 
of  matters  at  that  moment  requiring  its  immediate  attention,  it 
could  not  be  reasonably  expected  to  provide  for  this  more  distant 
peril. 

On  the  14th  of  October,  1861,  the  Secretary  of  State 
addressed  a  letter  to  the  Governors  of  all  the  States  on  the 
seaboard  and  on  the  lakes  ;  in  which,  while  referring  to  the  ener 
getic  efforts  being  made  by  rebel  emissaries  to  secure  the  recog 
nition  of  the  Southern  Confederacy  by  foreign  powers  and 
embroil  the  United  States  with  England  and  France,  he 
suggested  the  necessity  of  taking  every  precaution  to  provide 
against  the  dangers  to  which  a  foreign  war  would  expose  us, 
and  urged  that  our  ports  and  harbors  on  the  sea-coast  and  the 
lakes  should  be  put  in  a  condition  of  complete  defence.  On 
behalf  of  the  President,  the  Secretary  invited  the  attention  of 
the  Governor  to  the  subject  of  the  improvement  of  the  fortifica 
tion  and  defences  of  Massachusetts,  and  asked  that  the  subject 
should  be  submitted  to  the  consideration  of  the  Legislature  ; 
adding  that  the  measures  which  might  be  taken  would  require 
only  a  temporary  use  of  the  means  of  the  State,  and  that  the 
expenditure  should  be  made  the  subject  of  conference  with 
the  Government  of  the  United  States.  The  seizure  of  Mason 
and  Slidell,  which  followed  immediately  upon  this,  and  so 
nearly  involved  the  United  States  in  hostilities  with  England, 
gave  additional  force  to  the  recommendation  of  the  Secretary  of 
State.  The  Governor,  who  had  unceasingly  pressed  this  sub 
ject  upon  the  attention  of  the  United-States  Government,  no 


HARBOR  DEFENCES.  513 

sooner  received  this  invitation  to  act  in  the  matter  himself,  than 
he  proceeded  to  Washington  to  confer  with  General  Totten,  the 
distinguished  head  of  the  Bureau  of  Engineers,  and  General 
Kipley,  chief  of  the  Ordnance  Bureau  ;  and  in  his  address  to  the 
Legislature  upon  its  assembling  in  January,  1862,  he  called 
their  attention  to  the  defenceless  condition  of  our  coast,  and 
recommended  that  certain  fortifications  should  be  at  once  under 
taken  by  the  Commonwealth,  which  would  involve  an  outlay  of 
$400,000,  in  addition  to  what  might  be  required  to  provide  the 
necessary  ordnance  for  their  armament. 

It  had  already  become  apparent,  however,  that  our  greatest 
and  most  pressing  want  was  of  guns  for  the  works  already 
completed;  and  on  the  14th  of  February,  1862,  the  Legislature, 
by  a  resolve,  authorized  the  Governor  to  contract  for  the  manu 
facture  of  suitable  ordnance  for  the  coast  defence  of  the  State, 
to  an  amount  not  exceeding  $500,000,  after  advertising  for 
proposals,  and  providing  that  the  work  should  be  done  under 
supervision  of  officers  to  be  appointed  by  the  United  States. 

In  March,  1862,  General  Totten  reported,  that  to  arm  the 
works  on  the  coast  of  Massachusetts,  contemplated  as  necessary 
for  its  defence  in  case  of  a  foreign  war,  there  would  be  required 
some  916  guns  of  the  calibres  of  eight,  ten,  and  fifteen  inches, 
and  some  427  thirty-two-pounders  and  lighter  guns  ;  while,  from 
the  information  derived  from  the  Ordnance  Bureau,  it  was 
ascertained,  that,  during  the  next  two  years,  all  we  could  expect 
to  receive  of  the  larger  guns  would  be  some  140,  or  about  two- 
sevenths  only  of  the  number  required  for  the  permanent  works 
already  completed  or  near  completion,  and  no  portion  of  these 
required  for  the  other  class  of  works  ;  and  the  cost  of  completing 
the  armament  of  the  Massachusetts  coast  was  estimated  at 
$1,220,000,  after  making  allowance  for  all  the  guns  we  might 
expect  to  receive  from  the  United  States  during  the  years  1862 
and  1863.  Of  the  thirty-two-pounders  and  smaller  guns,  the 
United  States  were  supposed  to  possess  a  sufficient  supply. 

Experience  soon  proved  that  nothing  could  be  done  under  the 
resolve  of  the  Legislature.  The  United  States  could  spare  no 
ordnance  officer  to  superintend  the  work,  and  no  contractors 
could  be  found  to  undertake  it ;  besides,  the  amount  appropriated 


514  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

would  have  only  provided  for  about  one-third  of  the  number  of 
guns  needed. 

The  United  States  were  already  employing,  to  the  full  extent 
of  their  capacity,  all  the  establishments  in  the  country  prepared 
or  willing  to  undertake  the  manufacture  of  large  ordnance  ;  and 
were  ready  to  give  further  contracts  to  any  new  parties  who 
would  take  them.  The  special  machinery  and  plans  required 
for  the  casting  and  finishing  of  guns  of  large  calibre  are,  how 
ever,  so  costly,  the  skill  and  experience  necessary  to  their 
successful  production  so  peculiar,  and  the  risk  so  great,  that  new 
establishments  built  for  this  express  purpose  might,  upon  the 
cessation  of  the  demand  consequent  upon  a  return  of  peace,  be 
left  unemployed,  that  the  number  of  new  parties  who  had  come 
forward  to  engage  in  this  manufacture  was  only  three  or  four ; 
and  of  these  some  had  become  already  discouraged  by  the  diffi 
culties  they  encountered.  The  Ordnance  Bureau,  therefore,  was 
of  opinion  that  no  expenditure  which  Massachusetts  could  make, 
would  increase  or  expedite  this  production.  The  great  scarcity 
of  skilled  mechanics,  and  the  full  and  profitable  employment 
given  to  all  founderies  and  machine-shops  in  work  attended  with 
much  less  risk,  added  greatly  to  the  difficulty. 

At  this  moment  occurred  the  celebrated  encounter  between  the 
"Merrimack"  and  the  "Monitor,"  disturbing  all  further  theories 
of  naval  attack  and  coast  defence,  and  casting  doubt  upon  the 
stability  of  the  existing  projects  for  the  fortification  and  arma 
ment  of  our  harbors,  and  demonstrating  the  absolute  necessity 
of  more  powerful  guns,  and  in  much  greater  numbers  than  con 
templated  in  General  Totten's  recent  report.  Indeed,  in  the  night 
after  the  first  irresistible  attack  of  the  "  Merrimack  "  on  our  fleet 
at  Newport  News,  and  in  Hampton  Roads,  when  it  was  thought 
that  the  rebel  iron-clad  might  next  day  complete  the  destruction 
of  the  fleet,  and,  proceeding  to  sea,  attack  any  of  our  most  im 
portant  seaports,  the  Governor  received  official  advice  from 
Washington  to  proceed  at  once  to  close  the  harbor  of  Boston  by 
sinking  temporary  obstructions  in  the  entrance  to  the  harbor,  so 
little  could  our  defences  be  relied  upon  to  repel  an  attack  of  this 
new  and  fearful  engine. 

The  War  Department  immediately  afterwards  requested  the 


COLONEL  RITCHIE'S  MISSION.  515 

Governor's  presence  in  Washington,  and  urged  upon  him  to  pro 
pose  to  the  Legislature  to  concentrate  the  expenditure  of  the 
State  in  the  immediate  construction  of  iron-clads  for  the  defence 
of  the  coast.  The  Legislature  responded  to  the  Governor's 
representations  of  the  plan  by  a  resolve  on  the  25th  of  March, 
1862,  authorizing  the  construction  of  one  or  more  iron-clad 
vessels.  The  plans  were  in  progress,  and  the  parties  stood  ready 
to  contract  for  their  construction,  when  the  Navy  Department 
protested  that  it  was  ready  to  put  under  construction,  in  every 
part  of  the  country,  all  that  the  utmost  resources  of  the  people 
could  accomplish  ;  and  that  the  result  of  a  competition  in  the 
market  between  the  State  and  the  United-States  Governments 
could  only  result  in  injury  to  both.  Upon  the  Governor's  repre 
sentation  that  there  were  two  parties  in  Massachusetts  capable 
of  building  such  vessels,  the  Navy  Department  at  once  offered 
contracts  to  each  of  these  establishments. 

At  this  juncture,  it  was  ascertained,  that  Professor  Tread  well, 
so  widely  known  for  his  scientific  attainments,  his  investigations 
into  the  problem  of  the  construction  of  heavy  ordnance,  and  his 
invention  of  the  gun  bearing  his  name,  with  a  party  of  gentle 
men  associated  with  him,  could  be  induced  to  build  immediately 
new  and  extensive  works  for  the  manufacture  of  guns  according 
to  his  patents,  if  a  contract  could  be  given  him  by  the  State, 
sufficiently  large  to  justify  the  investment  of  the  considerable 
capital  which  must  be  required. 

The  enormous  strength  of  the  Treadwell  gun  had  been  suffi 
ciently  proved ;  but  the  invention  had  been  made  at  a  time  when 
there  seemed  to  be  no  necessity  of  any  such  great  strength  in 
guns,  and  such  as  were  already  in  use  appeared  sufficiently  good. 
This  invention  had  therefore  been  without  result,  though  its 
principle  was,  in  part  at  least,  adopted  in  the  Parrott  gun  in  this 
country,  and  much  more  extensively  by  the  celebrated  foreign 
manufacturers,  Sir  William  Armstrong  and  Captain  Blakely. 

The  Governor  submitted  to  a  commission  composed  of  Colonel 
Charles  Amory,  Master  of  Ordnance,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Har 
rison  Kitchie,  his  aide-de-camp,  and  two  distinguished  civil 
engineers,  Messrs.  J.  W.  Brooks  and  James  B.  Francis,  the 
question  of  the  ascertained  or  probable  merits  of  the  Treadwell 


516  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

gun,  and  its  capacity  to  penetrate  armor-plates,  as  also  of  the 
feasibility  and  advantage  of  an  attempt  to  supply  in  part  our 
deficiency  in  ordnance  of  its  manufacture.  The  commission 
submitted  an  elaborate  report.  They  were  unanimously  in  favor 
of  the  gun,  and  recommended  that  the  State  should  enter  into  a 
contract  for  one  hundred  100-pounder  rifled  guns  of  that  pattern, 
and  make  such  an  appropriation  as  would  admit  of  the  construc 
tion  of  a  creater  number,  if  their  early  success  should  render  such 

O  * 

an  increase  desirable.  Professor  Treadwell  and  his  responsible 
associates  were  ready  to  engage  to  establish  a  foundery  which 
should  deliver  ten  of  these  guns  within  six  months,  and  the  re 
mainder  within  eighteen  months.  Under  such  a  contract,  the 
State  would  have  made  use  of  the  erection  of  a  new  foundery 
capable  of  turning  out  the  largest  guns  in  great  numbers. 
It  would,  if  the  Treadwell  guns  had  succeeded,  have  provided 
for  their  rapid  multiplication  at  a  cost  about  two-thirds  that 
of  the  Armstrong  gun  of  the  British  Government,  while,  if  this 
particular  gun  had  failed,  the  State  would  have  lost  nothing, 
and  the  foundery  and  machinery  might  have  been  employed  to 
advantage  in  other  ways.  The  report  was  laid  before  a  com 
mittee  of  the  Legislature,  who  on  the  24th  of  April,  1862,  re 
ported  a  resolve,  which  would  have  enabled  the  Governor  to 
enter  into  such  a  contract.  The  resolve  passed  the  House  with 
out  a  division,  and  was  defeated  by  a  single  vote  in  the  Senate, 
in  its  passage  to  be  enacted  in  the  last  hour  of  the  session. 

The  prospect  of  being  able  to  effect  any  thing  was  now  dis 
couraging,  while  the  danger  became  even  more  imminent,  and 
the  want  more  pressing.  In  December,  1862,  General  Totten 
wrote  to  the  Governor,  — 

"  It  cannot  be  too  strongly  insisted  on,  that  guns  are  needed ;  that 
we  want  many  more,  and  those  extremely  large  guns ;  and  that  the 
fabrication  of  them  should  be  expedited,  extended,  and  multiplied." 

In  his  message  to  the  Legislature  in  January,  1863,  the  Gov 
ernor  reviewed  the  history  of  his  past  efforts,  and  again  pressed 
the  matter  upon  their  attention  ;  and  on  the  30th  of  March,  1863, 
the  act  was  passed  appropriating  one  million  of  dollars  for  the 
defence  of  the  coast  of  Massachusetts.  By  this  act  it  was  pro- 


THE    HEAVY    ORDNANCE.  517 

vided,  that  any  portion,  or  the  whole,  of  the  million  dollars 
might  be  expended  in  the  purchase  or  manufacture  of  ordnance, 
in  the  building  or  equipping  iron-clad  or  other  steamers,  or  the 
erection  of  iron-clad  or  other  fortifications,  or  in  such  other 
measures  as  the  public  exigencies  might  require.  The  inhabi 
tants  of  any  town  on  the  coast  were  further  authorized,  with  the 
approval  of  the  Governor  and  Council,  to  raise  money,  and  ex 
pend  it  in  defending  their  town  against  the  public  enemies  of 
the  United  States. 

Under  this  act,  fortifications  were  erected  at  Newburyport, 
Marblehead,  Plymouth,  Salem,  New  Bedford,  and  Gloucester. 
The  forts  in  Boston  Harbor  were  connected  with  each  other  and 
with  the  city  by  a  magnetic  telegraph  ;  a  complete  and  most  in 
genious  system  of  harbor  obstructions  was  devised  for  the  harbor 
of  Boston  ;  and  all  the  workings,  drawings,  and  bills  of  materials 
prepared  which  would  admit  of  the  system  being  applied  at  a 
moment's  warning.  The  great  want,  however,  was  still  of  the 
largest  gun ;  and  the  result  of  all  inquiries  was,  that  no  more 
could  possibly  be  obtained  in  this  country. 

At  this  time,  Mr.  John  M.  Forbes,  being  in  England,  was 
making  inquiries  into  the  possibility  of  our  obtaining  any  such 
guns  in  Europe.  The  result  of  these  inquiries  was,  that  there 
were  only  three  parties  known  in  all  Europe  in  a  position  to 
manufacture  such  guns.  Of  these  it  was  understood  that  Sir 
William  Armstrong  was  not  at  liberty  to  manufacture  for  any 
foreign  power,  while  Mr.  Knapp,  the  famous  steel-founder  of 
Essen,  in  Prussia,  was  fully  employed  by  the  Prussian  and 
Russian  Governments.  There  remained,  therefore,  only  Captain 
Blakely. 

The  real  Blakely  gun  consists  of  a  steel  spindle  or  gun 
proper,  over  which  another  steel  gun  or  jacket  is  shrunk  on, 
inclosing  the  whole  breech,  and  extending  forward  to  the  trun 
nions  for  longitudinal  strength,  and  reinforced  by  one  or  more 
layers  of  steel  rings  shrunk  on  over  the  jacket.  Captain 
Blakely  had  received  large  contracts  for  his  guns  from  the 
Russian  Government,  but  was  only  beginning  to  manufacture 
those  of  large  calibre.  He  was  dependent  upon  Knapp  for  his 
steel  spindle,  Knapp's  being  the  only  establishment  in  Europe 


518  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

capable  of  forging  the  huge  ingots  required  for  the  large  guns, 
and  even  he  having  only  lately  begun  to  turn  them  out,  and  in 
very  limited  quantities.  The  so-called  Blakely  guns,  of  which 
the  rebels  had  large  quantities,  were  a  very  inferior,  cheap 
article,  of  smaller  calibres,  which,  in  their  extreme  need,  they 
were  irlad  to  have,  poor  as  they  were.  Mr.  Whitworth  had,  as 
yet,  built  no  gun  on  his  principle,  of  larger  calibre  than  five 
and  a  half  inches,  and  the  success  of  them  had  not  been 
promising  ;  and  he  would  not  undertake  to  deliver  any  more 
<nms  within  six  months. 

O 

Mr.  Forbes,  on  his  own  responsibility,  contracted  with  Cap 
tain  Blakely  for  two  11-inch  guns.  On  the  28th  of  May, 
1863,  the  Executive  Council  authorized  the  Governor  to  con 
tract  for  the  manufacture  of  ordnance  in  Europe  to  the  extent 
of  $250,000  ;  and,  on  the  2d  of  June,  orders  were  sent  to  Mr. 
Forbes,  to  enter  into  contract  for  guns  and  projectiles  in  Eng 
land  to  that  amount.  Mr.  Forbes  accordingly  contracted  for 
ten  11-inch  and  twelve  9-inch  rifled  Blakelys,  to  be  delivered 
on  or  before  the  15th  of  September,  and  to  cost  $32,050.  It 
was  also  provided,  that,  in  case  the  contractors  should  be 
unable  to  deliver  the  whole  number  of  11 -inch  guns,  they 
might  deliver  eight  of  that  calibre,  and  three  9 -inch  guns  in 
place  of  the  other  ten  11-inch  guns.  As  it  was  thought  that, 
if  those  parts  of  the  guns  which  could  not  be  produced  at 
home  were  sent  out  from  England,  the  manufacture  of  Blakely 
guns  might  be  established  in  Massachusetts,  parts  of  two 
11-inch  guns  and  two  9-inch  guns  were  also  contracted  for; 
and,  late  in  September,  the  Putnam  Machine  Shops,  at  Fitch- 
burg,  were  induced  to  undertake  the  finishing  of  these  guns,  the 
State  having  paid  for  the  special  machinery  required  for  this 
purpose;  and  the  guns  were  eventually  finished  by  them. 

It  had,  meanwhile,  become  apparent  that  the  difficulties 
attendant  upon  the  manufacture  of  these  large  Blakely  guns 
were  so  great,  even  in  England,  that  the  contract  would  not 
be  executed.  The  danger  of  foreign  war,  moreover,  had  never 
appeared  so  imminent.  The  celebrated  iron-clads,  built  by  Mr. 
Laird,  fur  the  rebels,  were  lying  in  the  Mersey,  nearly  ready 
for  sea.  It  was  thought  that  the  British  Government  would 


THE    HEAVY   ORDNANCE.  519 

refuse  to  interfere  to  prevent  their  sailing,  and  generally  under 
stood  that  such  an  event  would  result  in  a  war  with  England ; 
either  from  the  United  States  determining  to  consider  this  act 
of  the  British  Government  a  casus  belli,  or  from  the  recogni 
tion  of  the  Confederate  Government  by  England  and  France, 
which  would  follow  upon  the  breaking-up  of  our  blockade  of 
the  Southern  ports,  which  it  was  deemed  certain  that  those 
Laird  rams  would  accomplish.  It  became,  therefore,  impera 
tive  that  an  agent  from  this  State  should  proceed  to  England  to 
look  after  its  interests  ;  and  the  Governor  detailed  Colonel  Har 
rison  Ritchie,  his  senior  aide-de-camp,  for  that  duty. 

Colonel  Ritchie  sailed  on  the  16th  of  September,  1863. 
He  was  ordered  to  inspect  the  guns  and  projectiles  being  manu 
factured  there  for  the  State,  and  assume  direction  of  the  con 
tracts,  with  power  to  modify  the  contracts  in  every  respect, 
excepting  so  as  to  increase  the  total  contract  prices,  and  to  can 
cel  the  contracts  for  such  of  the  guns  as  it  might  appear  to  him 
would  not  probably  be  completed  within  the  extension  of  time 
which  had  already  been  granted.  The  distinguished  engineer, 
Mr.  J.  C.  Hoadley,  went  out  shortly  after,  and  joined  Colonel 
Ritchie  in  England,  for  the  purpose  of  studying  the  machinery 
and  the  process  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  Captain 
Blakely's  guns,  with  a  view  to  the  application  of  this  knowl 
edge  at  home.  As  the  need  of  a  supply  of  guns  for  immediate 
use  was  so  pressing,  Colonel  Ritchie  was,  at  his  suggestion, 
further  authorized  to  contract  for  not  exceeding  fifty  68-pound- 
ers,  smooth-bore  95-cwt.  guns,  if  they  could  be  delivered  within 
four  months  at  reasonable  prices. 

These  last  guns  were  originally  introduced  for  the  pivot  guns 
of  large  steam  frigates,  but  had  not  gone  out  of  use  on  the  gen 
eral  introduction  of  shell  guns.  The  English  experiments  had 
proved,  that,  though  not  equal  to  rifled  guns  at  long  ranges,  yet 
at  short  ranges,  with  the  full  charge  they  could  carry,  their 
eight-inch  shot  produced  more  destructive  effects  on  iron  armor- 
plates  than  the  Armstrong  100-pounder  rifled  gun.  It  was 
conjectured,  that,  from  the  fact  of  their  not  being  in  demand  at 
the  moment,  a  supply  of  these  guns  might  be  obtained,  and  that, 
with  steel  shot,  they  would  be  the  most  valuable  guns  we  could 


520  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

have  for  some  of  the  positions  we  were  anxious  to  arm  at  once. 
This  supposition  proved  correct ;  and,  on  the  6th  of  October, 
Colonel  Ritchie  concluded  a  contract  with  the  Cavmore  Iron 
Company  for  fifty  of  these  guns,  at  the  extremely  low  price  of 
£20  per  ton,  which  were  finished  within  six  weeks,  and  at  once 
shipped  for  the  United  States.  Of  the  twenty-two  guns  con 
tracted  to  be  delivered  by  Captain  Blakely  by  the  middle  of 
September,  but  four  were  finished  Oct.  1.  Difficulties  had 
been  encountered  at  every  step  in  the  manufacture  of  those  five 
guns  of  large  calibre.  Colonel  Ritchie  availed  himself  of  Cap 
tain  Blakely 's  failure  to  comply  with  the  contract,  to  so  modify 
it,  as  to  provide,  that  in  place  of  the  eighteen  guns  not  delivered, 
which  were  to  have  had  the  cases  or  spindles  of  cast-iron,  we 
should  receive  twelve  guns  wholly  of  steel ;  the  experience 
already  obtained  being  decisive  in  favor  of  the  stronger  material. 
Instructions  were  afterwards  sent  out  to  Colonel  Ritchie,  au 
thorizing  him  to  contract  for  a  further  supply  of  the  Blakely 
guns  to  the  full  amount  of  the  appropriation  ;  but  he  reported 
that  he  was  convinced  no  larger  number  could  be  delivered 
within  a  year,  and  that  the  constant  improvements  being  made 
in  the  manufacture  of  the  material,  and  component  parts,  would 
enable  the  State  to  secure  better  guns  quite  as  rapidly  under 
contract  made  at  a  future  period,  if  they  should  still  be  required. 
These  views  were  confirmed  by  the  delays  which  afterwards 
occurred  in  the  completion  of  the  guns  already  ordered.  But 
three  11-inch  and  four  9-inch  guns  had  been  delivered,  when 
the  altered  aspect  of  the  war  rendered  it  advisable  to  cancel  the 
contract,  to  which  Captain  Blakely  was  very  ready  to  agree, 
as  the  guns  cost  him  more  than  he  was  to  receive  for  them, 
while  he  found  ready  purchasers,  at  increased  prices,  among 
other  foreign  powers. 

When  Colonel  Ritchie  was   upon  the   point   of  returning   to 
the  United  States,  it  was  brought  to  his  knowledge  that  a  cer- 

O  O 

tain  number  of  Armstrong  guns  might  be  secured  ;  and  he  was 
able  to  make  a  contract  for  them  on  terms  which  left  it  optional 
with  the  State  to  accept  the  contract  or  not.  The  State  did  ratify 
and  adopt  it ;  and  these  five  guns  were  finished  in  due  time,  but 
never  shipped  to  America. 


THE    HEAVY    ORDNANCE.  521 

It  would  not  be  just  to  conclude  this  account  without  ac 
knowledging  that  the  delays  which  occurred  in  the  execution 
of  Captain  Blakely's  contract  were  due  to  the  difficulties  which 
were  encountered  in  the  first  efforts  to  produce  guns  of  these 
dimensions  and  of  such  great  strength  ;  and  the  difficulties  did 
not  cease  when  the  guns  were  finished.  There  were  but  three 
lathes  in  England  large  enough  to  turn  them,  and  Knapp  only 
could  bore  the  18-inch  ingots  of  such  steel.  When  the  first  11- 
inch  guns  were  finished,  no  steamers  could  be  found  willing  to 
transport  them  from  Hull  to  London  ;  and  it  was  only  after 
much  time  that  trucks  were  found  capable  of  carrying  such 
weight  upon  the  railroads.  The  British  Government  would 
not  have  consented  to  their  proof  at  Woolwich  Arsenal,  with 
the  knowledge  that  they  were  intended  for  our  use  ;  and  a  fiction 
had  to  be  set  afloat,  and  carefully  kept  alive,  that  they  were  for 
the  Russian  Government.  This  was  so  well  done,  that,  after 
the  account  of  their  proof  appeared  in  the  Times,  the  Russian 
military  officers  in  London  applied  to  know  when  they  were  to 
be  delivered,  and  were  surprised  to  learn  that  they  were  already 
at  sea,  on  their  voyage  to  America.  The  first  gun,  on  being 
hoisted  out  of  the  lighter  at  Woolwich,  carried  away  the 
crane,  and,  falling  through  the  bottom  of  the  lighter,  sunk  the 
whole  ;  when  landed,  the  bridge  across  the  moat  of  Woolwich 
Arsenal  had  to  be  strengthened  before  they  could  be  drawn 
across  it  to  the  proving  ground ;  and  so  great  was  the  interest 
felt  in  the  result,  that  numbers  of  English  artillery  officers  and 
cannon-founders  attended  the  proof.  Great  was  their  surprise 
at  seeing  a  bolt  weighing  533  pounds,  driven  by  fifty  pounds 
of  English  powder,  penetrate  thirty-one  feet  into  the  rammed 
earth  of  the  abatis.  The  difficulties  of  shipment  were  also 
great.  A  portion  of  the  8-inch  guns  were  sent  one  day 
to  Portsmouth,  where  it  was  supposed  they  belonged  to  the 
British  Government,  until,  to  the  surprise  of  the  townspeople 
and  officials,  as  well  as  of  the  passengers,  one  of  the  Bremen 
line  of  steamers  came  in,  and  took  them  quickly  on  board. 
Colonel  Ritchie  was  also  closely  watched,  and  had,  for  the  first 
ten  days,  devoted  himself  to  putting  the  detectives  who  followed 
him  on  a  wrong  scent. 


522  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

Fortunately,  we  were  never  called  upon  to  use  these  guns, 
for  which  the  carriages  had  been,  meanwhile,  designed  by  Gen 
eral  William  Raymond  Lee,  chief  engineer  on  the  Governor's 
staff;  but  the  reception  given  by  a  few  of  them  to  the  Spanish 
iron-clads  off  Callao  is  a  sufficient  testimony  of  the  good  service 
they  would  have  rendered  in  time  of  need. 

The  Legislature  for  1864  met  at  the  State  House  on  the  6th 
of  January.  The  Senate,  which  was  unanimously  Republican, 
made  choice  of  Jonathan  E.  Field,  of  Stockbridgc,  for  Presi 
dent,  and  Stephen  N.  Gifford,  clerk;  each  gentleman  receiv 
ing  every  vote  cast.  Mr.  Field,  on  assuming  the  duties  of  the 
chair,  said, — 

'k  It  is  our  privilege  and  pride  to  represent  a  Commonwealth  for 
whose  course  no  apology  has  to  be  made.  Those  to  whom  she  has 
committed  the  administration  of  her  affairs,  require  no  certificates  of 
loyalty,  and  their  patriotism  has  not  to  be  defended.  In  the  last  three 
years,  in  storm  and  in  sunshine,  in  the  hour  of  national  defeat  and  in 
the  hour  of  national  triumph,  the  course  of  our  State  has  been  one  of 
persistent,  unswerving  devotion  to  the  Union.  Upon  her  fidelity  those 
charged  with  the  administration  of  the  National  Government  have  felt 
that  they  could  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances,  firmly  lean. 
In  her  there  is  '  no  variableness,  neither  shadow  of  turning.'  For 
those  who  have  gone  forth  in  our  defence,  we  have  no  occasion  to 
blush.  The  banner  intrusted  to  Massachusetts  regiments  has  ever 

O 

been  borne  with  honor,  whatever  the  hue  of  the  hands  by  which  it  was 
upheld." 

The  House  was  organized  by  the  choice  of  Alexander  H. 
Bullock,  of  Worcester,  for  Speaker,  and  William  S.  Robinson, 
of  Maiden,  for  clerk.  Each  gentleman  received  every  vote  cast. 
Mr.  Bullock,  on  taking  the  chair,  spoke  at  considerable  length. 
In  the  course  of  his  address,  he  said,  — 

"•  When  our  predecessors  met  here  a  vear  asfo,  the  skv  was  over- 

«/  o     '  •/ 

cast.  Ill-fortune  at  home,  and  not  altogether  good  omens  abroad, 
depressed  our  hearts.  It  was  a  period  in  which  men  of  timid  coun 
sels,  men  of  sulky  loyalty,  men  in  sympathy  with  the  public  enemies, 
availed  themselves  of  the  general  gloom,  and  added  to  the  distraction 
and  discouragement  which  always  follow  military  reverses.  But  the 
opportunity  of  all  such  soon  passed  by,  and  ere  midsummer  they  bowed 
before  the  effulgent  victories  of  our  arms.  On  the  Lower  Mississippi, 


THE  GOVERNOR'S  ADDRESS.  523 

the  battle-ground  of  civilization  and  barbarism,  near  the  home  of  the 
arch-traitor,  in  the  abiding-place  of  the  social  curse  which  has  been 
the  cause  of  all  our  woe,  the  tide  of  reverse  was  turned  back,  the 
men  of  the  East  and  the  men  of  the  West  fought  side  by  side,  the  star 
of  Banks  and  the  star  of  Grant  sent  forth  their  mingled  radiance. 
Unfriendly  cabinets  and  aristocracies  abroad  caught  the  foreshadowing, 
and  improved  their  speech,  if  not  their  wish.  The  free  and  loyal 
States  at  home  have  been  elastic,  progressive,  determined,  since  that 
day.  Now  we  witness  unwonted  unity  among  ourselves.  Now,  with 
out  much  diversity,  we  stand  together  by  the  Government,  and  by 
those  who  administer  it.  Now,  united,  cheerful,  responsive,  we  accede 
to  the  necessity,  and  accept  the  principles,  of  the  policy  of  the  Presi 
dent,  as  a  basis  of  re-union  of  these  States  which  shall  endure  through 
the  policy  of  the  fathers  being  at  last  re-affirmed  and  enforced,  and 
a  free  republic  stretching  its  broad  belt  from  the  eastern  to  the 
western  sea,  over  all  which  the  clank  of  the  manacles  of  human 
bondage  shall  cease  to  be  heard  for  ever." 

The  Governor  delivered  his  address  on  Friday,  Jan.  8  ;  a 
considerable  portion  of  which  he  devoted  to  the  military  affairs 
of  the  Commonwealth.  The  receipts  into  the  State  treasury, 
during  the  year  1863,  from  all  sources,  were  $7,229,823.18,  and 
the  expenditures  during  the  same  period  were  $6,728,597.70; 
leaving  a  surplus  of  receipts  over  expenditures  of  $501,225.48. 
Of  the  payments  made,  $5,116,032.19  were  for  State  aid  to 
the  families  of  soldiers,  and  reimbursement  of  bounties  paid  by 
cities  and  towns,  and  bounties  paid  to  soldiers  under  the  act 
increasing  bounties,  passed  at  the  extra  session  in  November. 
In  regard  to  tins  act,  the  Governor  recommended  that  it  be 
extended  so  as  to  include  "  all  men  who  in  future  enlist  into 
the  regular  army  under  the  late  call  of  the  President  for 
troops,"  who  might  be  credited  to  the  quota  of  the  district 
from  which  they  enlisted.  He  also  advised  that  the  State 
aid  be  paid  to  families  irrespective  of  their  residence,  "and 
to  authorize  relief  to  be  given  retro-actively  when  the  situation 
of  a  family  may  require  it."  He  also  informed  the  Legisla 
ture  that  there  was  a  reasonable  hope  that  the  United  States 
would  establish  a  general  hospital  in  the  Commonwealth,  to 
which  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  might  be  transferred.  A 
hospital  has  been  established  during  the  year  at  Worcester,  and 


524  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

was  named  in  honor  of  the  distinguished  Surgeon-General  of  the 
Commonwealth,  the  United-States  DALE  General  Hospital. 
The  Governor  said,  — 

"  I  was  enabled,  by  an  application  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  pro 
cure  for  all  Massachusetts  men  in  the  United-States  Military  Hospital, 
at  Portsmouth  Grove,  R.I.,  and  deemed  fit  to  travel,  the  indulgence 
of  a  furlough  for  seven  days  on  the  occasion  of  our  national  and  State 
Thanksgiving,  to  enable  them  to  enjoy  its  festivities,  and  the  delights  of 
home.  I  have  the  pride  to  declare,  that,  of  the  two  hundred  and  eighty- 
one  men  thus  receiving  furloughs,  all  but  one  returned,  keeping  their 
manly  faith  in  a  manly  way  ;  while  that  one,  delaying  his  return  a 
few  days,  reported  himself  to  the  provost-marshal  of  his  district,  and 
received  transportation  as  a  '  straggler,'  not  as  a  '  deserter.'  The 
condition  in  which  they  returned  was  such  as  to  draw  from  the  execu 
tive  officer  in  charge  of  the  hospital  an  expression  highly  honorable 
to  our  men." 

The  Governor  again  called  the  attention  of  the  Legislature 
to  the  coast  defences,  and  invoked  attention  to  their  con 
dition.  He  also  recommended  the  establishment  of  an  acad 
emy  for  the  instruction  of  young  men  in  mathematics,  civil, 
military,  and  practical  engineering,  and  other  studies,  in  con 
nection  with  infantry,  artillery,  and  cavalry  drill  and  tactics. 
The  Governor  devoted  considerable  space  in  his  address  to 
matters  relating  to  recruiting  and  to  the  draft,  and  said,  — 

"  Having  sent  into  the  field  one  man  at  least  out  of  every  three  of 
her  enrolled  militia  at  some  time  or  other  since  the  war  began,  and 
having  spent  for  the  service  already  not  less  than  fifteen  millions 
of  dollars,  including  municipal  expenditures,  but  not  including  the 
national  taxation,  I  do  not  think  it  unbecoming  the  people  of  this 
Commonwealth  to  suggest  any  measure  of  justice  tending  to  pre 
serve  her  industry,  her  ability  to  be  useful  to  the  country,  and  yet 
to  swell  the  ranks  of  the  national  armies." 

The  Governor  closed  his  address  in  the  following  eloquent 
and  touching  words  :  — 

"  But  the  heart  swells  with  unwonted  emotion  when  we  remem 
ber  our  sons  and  brothers,  whose  constant  valor  has  sustained  on  the 
field,  during  nearly  three  years  of  war,  the  cause  of  our  country,  of 
civilization  and  liberty.  Our  volunteers  have  represented  Massachu- 


ELOQUENT    EXTRACT.  525 

setts,  during  the  year  just  ended,  on  almost  every  field,  and  in  every 
department  of  the  army,  where  our  flag  has  been  unfurled,  —  at 
Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Vicksburg,  Port  Hudson,  and  Fort  Wag 
ner  ;  at  Chickamauga,  Knoxville,  and  Chattanooga ;  under  Hooker, 
Meade,  Banks,  Gilmore,  Rosecrans,  Burnside,  and  Grant.  In  every 
scene  of  danger  and  of  duty,  —  along  the  Atlantic  and  the  Gulf;  on  the 
Tennessee,  the  Cumberland,  the  Mississippi,  and  the  Rio  Grande ;  under 
Dupont,  Dahlgren,  Foote,  Farragut,  and  Porter,  —  the  sons  of  Massa 
chusetts  have  borne  their  part,  and  paid  the  debt  of  patriotism  and 
valor.  Ubiquitous  as  the  stock  they  descend  from,  national  in  their 
opinions  and  universal  in  their  sympathies,  they  have  fought  shoulder 
to  shoulder  with  men  of  all  sections,  and  of  every  extraction.  On 
the  ocean,  on  the  rivers,  on  the  land,  on  the  heights  where  they 
thundered  down  from  the  clouds  of  Lookout  Mountain  the  defiance 
of  the  skies,  they  have  graven  with  their  swords  a  record  imperishable. 
"  The  muse  herself  demands  the  lapse  of  silent  years  to  soften,  by 
the  influences  of  time,  her  too  keen  and  poignant  realization  of  the 
scenes  of  war,  —  the  pathos,  the  heroism,  the  fierce  joy,  the  grief,  of 
battle.  But,  during  the  ages  to  come,  she  will  brood  over  their 
memory ;  into  the  hearts  of  her  consecrated  priests  will  breathe  the 
inspirations  of  lofty  and  undying  beauty,  sublimity,  and  truth,  in 
all  the  glowing  forms  of  speech,  of  literature,  and  plastic  art.  By  the 
homely  traditions  of  the  fireside ;  by  the  headstones  in  the  church 
yard,  consecrated  to  those  whose  forms  repose  far  off  in  rude  graves 
by  the  Rappahannock,  or  sleep  beneath  the  sea,  —  embalmed  in  the 
memories  of  succeeding  generations  of  parents  and  children,  the  heroic 
dead  will  live  on  in  immortal  youth.  By  their  names,  their  character, 
their  service,  their  fate,  their  glory,  they  cannot  fail. 

'  They  never  fail  who  die 

In  a  great  cause  :  the  block  may  soak  their  gore, 
Their  heads  may  sodden  in  the  sun,  their  limbs 
Be  strung  to  city  gates  and  castle  walls ; 
But  still  their  spirit  walks  abroad.     Though  years 
Elapse,  and  others  share  as  dark  a  doom, 
They  but  augment  the  deep  and  sweeping  thoughts 
Which  overpower  all  others,  and  conduct 
The  world  at  last  to  FREEDOM.' 

"  The  Edict  of  Nantes,  maintaining  the  religious  liberty  of  the 
Huguenots,  gave  lustre  to  the  fame  of  Henry  the  Great,  whose  name 
will  gild  the  pages  of  philosophic  history  after  mankind  may  have 
forgotten  the  martial  prowess  and  the  white  plume  of  Navarre.  The 


526  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

GREAT  PROCLAMATION  OF  LIBERTY  will  lift  the  ruler  who  uttered  it, 
our  nation,  and  our  age,  above  all  vulgar  destiny. 

"The  bell  which  rang  out  the  Declaration  of  Independence  has 
found  at  last  a  voice  articulate  to  'proclaim  liberty  throughout  all 
the  land,  unto  all  the  inhabitants  thereof.'  It  has  been  heard  across 
oceans,  and  has  modified  the  sentiments  of  cabinets  and  kings.  The 
people  of  the  Old  World  have  heard  it,  and  their  hearts  stopped  to  catch 
the  last  vespers  of  its  echoes.  The  waiting  continent  has  heard  it,  and 
already  foresees  the  fulfilled  prophecy,  when  she  will  sit  'redeemed, 
regenerated,  and  disinthralled  by  the  irresistible  genius  of  universal 
emancipation.' " 

Several  special  messages  were  sent  in  by  the  Governor  dur 
ing  the  session  of  the  Legislature,  among  which  (Feb.  13)  was 
the  report  of  an  informal  commission  concerning  the  military 
instruction  and  training  of  the  people  of  Massachusetts. 

April  13. — A  message,  transmitting  a  printed  copy  of  the 
annual  report  of  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  Commonwealth, 
and  the  reports  of  the  Quartermaster-General,  Surgeon-General, 
and  the  Master  of  Ordnance  for  the  year  ending  Dec.,  31,  1863, 
in  which  he  says  :  — 

"  I  respectfully  suggest  to  the  General  Court  the  importance  of 
printing  such  a  number  of  copies  of  these  documents  as  will,  to  a  rea 
sonable  degree,  supply  the  demand  of  the  people  for  the  particulars  of 
the  military  annals  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  the  record  of  our  sev 
eral  volunteer  military  organizations  in  the  Union  army,  during  a  year 
crowded  with  incidents,  fruitful  with  valor,  its  rewards,  and  its  casual 
ties.  There  can  be  few  citizens  of  Massachusetts  who  have  not  a  per 
sonal  interest  in  this  history." 

The  Legislature  remained  in  session  until  Saturday,  May  14, 
when,  having  finished  all  the  business,  it  was  prorogued  by  the 
Governor. 

The  entire  session  was  devoted  almost  exclusively  to  matters 
of  a  local  character.  The  ample  provisions  made  by  preceding 
legislatures  for  the  care  of  our  soldiers  and  their  families,  and 
the  defences  of  our  extended  seacoast,  left  little  more  to  be 
done  in  these  directions.  We  therefore  omit  giving  an  abstract 
of  the  proceedings  of  the  two  houses.  The  acts  and  resolves 
which  were  passed  at  this  session,  which  have  a  bearing  upon 


LAWS    PASSED   BY   THE   LEGISLATURE.  527 

the  military  history  of  the  Commonwealth  were  as  fol 
lows  :  — 

First.  An  act  to  authorize  towns  to  raise  money  as  they  may 
deem  necessary  by  taxation,  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  monu 
ments  "  in  memory  of  their  soldiers  who  have  died  or  may  die 
in  the  service  of  our  country  in  the  present  war." 

Second.  An  act  to  preserve  the  right  of  suffrage  to  soldiers 
and  sailors,  who,  by  reason  of  service,  have  not  been  assessed 
for  taxes  within  two  years,  that  they  "  may  pay  or  tender  to  the 
treasurer  of  the  town  in  which  they  reside  the  amount  of  a  poll- 
tax  for  the  current  year,  and  thereupon  shall  be  entitled  to  the 
right  of  suffrage  within  such  town  to  the  same  extent  as  if  their 
taxes  had  been  regularly  assessed  and  paid." 

Third.  Soldiers  enlisted  in  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
who,  while  in  the  Commonwealth,  may  be  sick  with  any  conta 
gious  or  infectious  disease,  and  needing  hospital  treatment  may 
be  admitted  to  Rainsford-Island  Hospital  upon  the  certificate  of 
the  Governor. 

Fourth.  All  moneys  allotted  by  any  soldier  of  this  State  shall 
be  distributed  by  any  officer  of  any  city  or  town  to  the  person 
entitled  to  receive  such  money  without  any  deduction  or  any 
charge,  commission,  or  claim  for  compensation,  for  any  service 
in  the  distribution  thereof. 

Fifth.  There  shall  be  allowed  and  paid  out  of  the  treasury  of 
the  Commonwealth  to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Discharged  Soldiers' 
Home,  located  on  Springfield  Street,  in  the  city  of  Boston,  to 
be  expended  by  the  directors  of  the  institution  in  temporarily 
caring  for  and  aiding  disabled  and  destitute  soldiers  that  have 
been  honorably  discharged  from  the  service  of  the  United  States, 
a  sum  not  exceeding  ten  thousand  dollars  ($10,000). 

Sixth.  An  act  appropriating  four  thousand  two  hundred  and 
five  dollars  and  thirty  cents  ($4,205.30),  the  same  being  the 
proportion  of  Massachusetts  of  the  estimated  expenses  of  remov 
ing  and  re-interring  the  dead,  and  finishing  the  cemetery  at 
Gettysburg  ;  also  to  Henry  Edwards,  Commissioner  for  Massa 
chusetts,  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  twenty- three  dollars  and 
forty-seven  cents  ($123.47)  for  expenses  paid  by  him  while  at 
tending  meetings  of  the  Commissioners  of  said  Soldiers'  National 
Cemetery. 


528  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Every  member  of  Congress,  of  course,  had  a  great  many 
duties  to  which  he  was  obliged  to  attend.  The  Governor  had 
occasion  to  write  to  many  of  them  upon  matters  connected  with 
the  war.  When  answers  were  not  received  to  letters  upon  im 
portant  questions  addressed  by  him  to  the  departments,  he  would 
write  to  our  Senators  or  to  our  members  of  the  House  of  Repre 
sentatives  ;  but  even  these  were  not  always  attended  to  as 
promptly  as  the  Governor  wished. 

Among  the  questions  of  importance  in  regard  to  filling  our 
quota  was  the  acceptance  of  certain  recruits,  men  of  the  very 
best  character,  who  had  enlisted  for  three  years'  service  in  one 
of  our  heavy-artillery  regiments,  but,  by  a  decision  of  the  War 
Department,  could  not  receive  the  bounty  provided  by  Con 
gress  to  men  thus  enlisting.  Many  letters  were  written  upon 
this  subject,  but  without  receiving  satisfactory  answers.  The 
Adjutant-General  asked  the  Governor  how  we  could  best  settle 
the  question.  The  Governor  answered,  — 

"  I  have  been  unable  to  get  satisfactory  answers  from  either  the 
War  Department,  or  from  gentlemen  in  Congress  from  our  State  ;  write 
therefore  to  John  B.  Alley,  your  member  of  Congress  :  from  him  I 
have  always  had  an  answer  whenever  I  have  written  him.  If  he  can 
not  accomplish  the  purpose,  he  will  at  least  attend  to  the  business,  and 
return  an  intelligent  answer." 

Accordingly,  on  the  llth  of  January,  the  Adjutant-General, 
at  the  request  of  the  Governor,  wrote  the  following  letter  to 
Mr.  Alley  :  - 

u  At  the  request  of  His  Excellency  the  Governor,  I  respectfully 
call  your  attention  to  the  case  which  I  present  below. 

"  Massachusetts  has  two  regiments  of  heavy  artillery  in  the  field. 
The  First,  Colonel  Tannatt,  is  stationed  in  the  defences  of  Washin^- 

^ 

ton.  The  Second,  Colonel  Frankle,  is  in  the  Department  of  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina.  This  is  a  popular  arm  of  the  service ;  and.  in  re 
cruiting  to  fill  the  regiments  to  the  full  strength,  a  surplus  of  nearly 
two  hundred  recruits  were  obtained  for  the  two  regiments,  which  could 
not  be  accepted,  because  the  regiments  were  filled.  The  men  who  are 
not  accepted  were  disappointed,  having  enlisted  with  special  reference 
to  this  arm  of  the  service. 

"  Desiring  to  satisfy  the  men,  and  advance  the  interest  of  the  ser- 


THE    SPRINGFIELD    COMPANIES.  529 

vice,  His  Excellency  directed  me,  on  the  2d  inst.,  to  telegraph  to  Major- 
General  Butler,  at  Fortress  Monroe,  as  follows  :  — 

<k '  Do  you  want  two  companies  of  heavy  artillery  in  addition  to 
Colonel  Frankle's  regiment  ?  if  so,  I  can  furnish  them.  Please  tele 
graph  your  application  to  the  "War  Department,  and  also  telegraph 
your  answer  to  me. 

"*  WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant- General? 

"  On  the  same  day,  I  had  the  honor  to  receive  from  General  Butler 
an  answer,  as  follows  :  — 

" '  FORTRESS  MONROE,  Jan.  12,  1864. 
"  '  General  SCHOULER,  Boston. 

"  '  Telegram  received.  Should  like  two  more  companies  of  heavy 
artillery  very  well.  Get  them  ready.  I  go  to  Washington  to-morrow, 
and  will  try  and  get  them  accepted.  Will  telegraph  you  from  Wash 
ington.  B.  F.  BUTLER,  Major- General.' 

"  I  have  not  received  any  further  word  from  General  Butler ;  and, 
on  the  6th  of  January,  I  telegraphed  him  at  Washington  as 
follows :  — 

"  *  Have  you  received  authority  to  raise  two  companies  of  heavy 
artillery  ? ' 

"  To  which  General  Butler  answered  the  same  day :  — 

"  '  Authority  received.     Go  ahead.' 

"  And  accordingly  we  did  go  ahead.  Of  the  men  recruited,  seventy- 
two  had  enlisted  in  Springfield,  and  were  counted  as  part  of  its  quota, 
and  it  was  expected  to  raise  a  full  company  in  that  city  ;  Ex-Lieu 
tenant- Governor  Trask  and  others  having  represented  that  it  could  be 
done. 

"  Thus  matters  stood  until  Saturday,  when  His  Excellency  re 
ceived  a  letter,  dated  6th  inst.,  from  Colonel  Fry,  U.S.A.,  Provost- 
Marshal-General,  from  which  I  make  the  following  extract :  — 

"  *  You  are  hereby  authorized  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  raise  two 
companies  for  service  at  Fortress  Monroe,  Va.,  with  the  condition  that 
the  men  enlisted  for  them  shall  not  receive  bounties.' 

"  The  condition  named  we  could  not  understand,  and  accordingly  I 
telegraphed  on  the  9th  (Saturday)  to  Colonel  Fry  as  follows :  — 

" '  If  Congress  extends  the  time  of  paying  bounties,  will  not  the 
men  enlisting  in  the  two  companies  of  heavy  artillery  for  service  at 
Fortress  Monroe  be  entitled  to  receive  them?  In  a  word,  will  they  not 
receive  the  same  bounty  as  others  ? ' 

"To  which  the  following  answer  was  received  the  same  day:  — 

34 


530  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

" '  Men  for  the  two  artillery  companies  at  Fortress  Monroe  will 
not  under  any  circumstances  get  bounties,  the  companies  being  for 
special  service.  JAMES  B.  FRY,  Provost- Mar  shed- General? 

"  You  will  readily  perceive  that  the  decision  of  Colonel  Fry 
virtually  suspends  recruiting  for  these  companies.  They  have  never 
asked  to  serve  'on  special  duty.'  They  were  to  be  enlisted  for 
three  years,  and  to  be  subject  to  all  commands  of  their  superiors ;  to 
march  whenever  and  wherever  ordered,  —  whether  to  Fortress  Monroe, 
Nashville,  New  Orleans,  or  Texas  ;  and  this  is  what  the  men  expect. 
Why,  then,  should  Colonel  Fry  speak  of  them  as  for  ;  special  duty '  ? 
But,  even  if  they  were  placed  on  '  special  duty,'  is  there  any  thing  in  the 
law  of  Congress  which  debars  soldiers  on  '  special  duty  '  from  receiving 
the  bounty  which  Congress  allows  ?  These  men  are  to  serve  for  three 
years,  and  they  are  to  stand  in  every  particular  as  other  volunteers. 
They  ask  no  favors,  but  they  expect  to  receive  the  bounty  which  other 
recruits  receive,  and  which  the  law  allows. 

"  As  one  of  these  companies  was  to  be  raised  in  Springfield  and 
vicinity,  and  as  a  large  number  of  recruits  have  already  been  enlisted 
for  it,  it  is  the  wish  of  His  Excellency  that  you  would  show  this  letter 
to  Mr.  Dawes,  and  that  he  and  you  should  see  Colonel  Fry  or  the 
Secretary  of  War,  and  have  the  decision  of  Colonel  Fry  in  regard  to 
these  companies  countermanded.  Unless  this  be  done  the  companies 
cannot  be  raised,  and  disappointment  and  bad  feeling  will  be  widely 
spread. 

"  As  yet  we  have  not  made  the  decision  of  Colonel  Fry  known, 
and  will  not  until  you  and  Mr.  Dawes  shall  have  seen  Colonel  Fry 
and  the  Secretary  of  War.  Please  give  your  earliest  attention  to  this 
subject.  WILLIAM  SCHOULER.  Adjutant- General." 

On  this  letter  the  Governor,  in  his  own  handwriting,  made 
the  following  indorsement :  — 

"  Read,  approved,  and  the  attention  of  Messrs.  Alley  and  Dawes  is 
specially  called  to  this  matter.  All  such  affairs  are  immensely  in 
jurious  to  recruiting,  and  bring  the  service  into  popular  disrepute." 

The  following  letter  to  William  Stowe,  Springfield,  Jan. 
14,  by  the  Adjutant-General,  gives  the  result  of  this  corre 
spondence. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  inform  you  that  the  Secretary  of  War  will  not 
change  his  decision.  His  Excellency  received  a  telegram  half  an  hour 
ago  from  Hon.  John  B.  Alley,  in  which  he  says  the  Secretary  will  not 


THE    SPRINGFIELD    COMPANIES.  531 

allow  the  bounty  to  the  recruits  for  the  two  companies  of  heavy 
artillery.  I  wish  to  know  whether  the  men  will  stick,  and  run  the 
risk  of  getting  the  bounty  hereafter,  which  I  have  no  doubt  will  be 
eventually  allowed ;  and,  in  my  judgment,  they  are  entitled  to  it  by  a 
law  of  Congress.  I  know  the  Governor  will  do  his  best,  and  I  pre 
sume  General  Butler  will,  to  have  the  bounty  paid.  The  State 
bounty  of  $325  of  course  they  will  receive.  I  hope  they  will  stick. 
The  Governor  has  ordered  the  four  persons  selected  by  the  company, 
to  be  commissioned  ;  and  the  commissions  will  be  made  out  as  soon  as 
he  learns  that  the  company  will  hang  together." 

The  Governor  requested  the  Adjutant-General  to  write  again 
to  Mr.  Alley  to  thank  him  and  Mr.  Dawes  for  their  efforts  to 
induce  the  Secretary  of  War  to  change  his  decision.  The  letter 
said,  — 

"  That  we  have  been  disappointed,  and  the  men  have  been  disap 
pointed,  at  the  adherence  of  Mr.  Stanton  to  his  original  decision,  I  need 
not  affirm.  We  knew  nothing  about  the  arrangement  which  General 
Butler  acceded  to  with  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  regard  to  the  non-pay 
ment  of  bounties  to  these  men,  until  we  received  the  information  from 
Colonel  Fry,  Provost-Marshal-General,  some  days  after  we  received 
General  Butler's  despatch  that  l  authority  is  given :  go  ahead.'  The 
Springfield  company  was  enlisted  before  they  knew  of  the  decision 
which  placed  them  outside  of  all  other  three  years'  recruits,  and  which 
deprives  them  of  the  liberality  which  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the 
laws  of  Congress  gave  to  all  recruits  under  the  call  of  the  President, 
of  Oct.  17,  1863.  The  city  of  Springfield  has  to  furnish,  as  her  quota 
of  the  present  call,  476  men.  It  is  a  large  number  for  so  small  a 
city,  especially  when  we  take  into  consideration  the  many  men  for  the 
service  which  that  patriotic  city  has  already  furnished.  The  men  com 
posing  this  company  are  represented  to  be  of  the  best  stock  in  Hampden 
County.  They  have  enlisted  for  three  years  to  FIGHT,  they  care 
not  WHERE.  They  cannot  understand,  nor  can  any  of  us,  why  they 
should  be  placed  outside  the  pale  of  congressional  law  and  the  general 
orders  of  the  War  Department.  They  enlisted  to  go  forth  to  the  front, 
with  their  lives  in  their  hands,  to  yield  them  up,  if  it  be  so  decreed,  in 
any  of  the  conflicts  with  the  enemies  of  the  Union.  These  brave  and 
gallant  men  still  adhere  to  their  original  design ;  and  I  received  a  tele 
gram  from  Springfield  this  morning,  that  they  would  report  in  a  body 
at  '  Camp  Meigs,'  Readville,  to-morrow. 

u  As  old  Dominie  Sampson  said,  '  it  is  not  the  lucre  they  crave  for.' 


532  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

Ha«l  the  General  Government  offered  no  bounty,  they  would  have  rested 
satisfied  :  but  it  is  the  exception  which  is  nmde  in  their  case  which 
rankles.  It  is  regarded,  and  properly  so,  as  a  stain,  and  they  feel  it  as 
a  wound. 

"  Again,  we  received  last  evening,  from  the  War  Department,  copies 
of  general  orders,  which  announce  that  4  a  bounty  of  $400  will  be 
paid  to  veteran  volunteers  who  enlist,  or  re-enlist  under  existing  orders, 
and  a  bounty  of  $300  to  raw  recruits  who  enlist  in  any  three  years' 
organizations  authorized  by  the  War  Department,  either  in  service,  or 
in  process  of  completion,  until  the  first  day  of  March,  1864. 

"  This,  I  understand,  is  the  law  of  the  land.  Now,  this  Springfield 
company  is  an  organization  authorized  to  be  recruited  by  the  Secretary 
of  War.  and  it  is  a  three  years'  organization.  Why,  then,  I  again  ask, 
should  the  men  not  be  paid  what  the  law  of  Congress  establishes,  and 
the  orders  of  the  War  Department  promulgate  ? 

"  I  wish  it  to  be  distinctly  understood  that  I  am  a  friend  of  Secretary 
Stanton.  I  have  defended  him  on  all  occasions  when  I  have  heard 
him  attacked.  I  have  no  complaint  to  make  against  any  officer  in  the 
War  Department.  My  official  and  personal  relations  with  that  De 
partment  have  been  pleasant ;  and  I  have  never  had  cause  for  complaint, 
and  have  never  made  any.  I  therefore  speak  as  a  friend,  for  justice  to 
deserving  men.  T  think  the  Secretary  of  War  has  made  a  hasty  deci- 
sion.  founded  upon  an  error,  and  that  he  will  generously  correct  it.  The 
twelve  companies  of  the  Second  Regiment  Massachusetts  Heavy  Ar 
tillery,  into  which  these  men  expected  to  be  placed,  are  at  the  seat  of 
war.  They  are  in  the  forts  by  companies  from  Norfolk,  Va.,  to  New- 
bern,  N.C.  The  two  additional  companies  which  we  ask  to  raise,  one 
of  which  is  already  raised,  expect  to  take  their  chances  with  the  others. 
Why  should  they  not  be  treated  like  their  fellow-citizens  who  have 
ju*t  left  the  State? 

"  In  conclusion,  I  would  ask,  is  it  well  to  raise  a  question  of  this 
kind  at  the  present  juncture  ?  It  is  too  insignificant  a  matter  for  the 
War  Department  to  make  an  issue  upon  ;  while  to  the  individual  per 
sons,  who  have  enlisted  in  good  faith,  it  is  a  matter  of  great  impor 
tance.  Please  show  this  letter  to  Mr.  Dawes  and  to  our  Senators, 
if  you  think  proper  ;  and  if  the  subject  is  thought  by  you  of  sufficient 
importance  to  again  see  the  Secretary,  and  present  the  case  anew,  I 
shall  be  pleased.  All  I  can  say  is,  that,  whatever  may  be  thought 
of  the  case  in  Washington,  it  is  of  importance  here." 

General  Butler  was  written  to  in  regard  to  this  matter,  to 
know  whether  he  had  made  any  promise  to  the  Secretary  of 


THE    SPRINGFIELD    COMPANIES.  533 

War,  that  the  men  thus  enlisted  should  be  regarded  as  upon 
special  duty,  and  therefore  not  entitled  to  the  Government 
bounty,  as  stated  by  Secretary  Stanton.  His  letter  is  dated 
"  Headquarters  Eighteenth  Army  Corps,  Department  of  Vir 
ginia  and  North  Carolina,  Fortress  Monroe,  Jan.  26,  1864," 
and  was  addressed  to  Hon.  Henry  Wilson,  United-States 
Senate.  He  says, — 

"  I  have  the  Second  Regiment  Massachusetts  Heavy  Artillery  here. 
When  they  arrived  with  twelve  full  companies,  the  Adjutant-General 
of  Massachusetts  desired,  by  telegram,  to  know  if  two  more  companies 
would  be  accepted.  I  immediately  answered  that  they  would  be  ;  and, 
when  in  Washington,  I  saw  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  asked  him  for 
permission  to  have  them  sent.  I  supposed,  and  he  supposed,  that  they 
would  be  raised  upon  precisely  the  same  terms  as  other  recruits,  and 
entitled  to  precisely  the  same  bounties,  no  more,  and  no  less.  He  gave 
me  permission  to  have  them  raised,  and  gave  an  order  to  have  them 
entered  on  the  Provost-Marshal's  books,  and  permitted  me  to  tele 
graph  to  Adjutant- General  Schouler,  that  they  would  be  authorized, 
which  I  did. 

"  By  a  letter  received  from  Adjutant-General  Schouler,  it  seems  that 
it  is  now  understood  that  these  men  were  raised  for  '  special  service,' 
and  are  not  entitled  to  the  same  bounties  as  other  new  recruits.  The 
service  for  which  they  were  raised  is  not  '  special,'  but  general,  and  no 
distinction  should  be  made,  or,  as  I  believe,  was  intended  to  be  made,  by 
the  Secretary  of  War,  between  them  and  other  recruits  for  the  reason 
that  they  were  raised  for  '  special  service ; '  and  I  repeat  that  they 
were  to  receive  the  same  bounties  as  other  recruits.  This  was  my 
understanding,  and  it  was  his  understanding,  which  I  have  no  doubt  he 
will  at  once  recognize.  I  see  no  reason  for  any  misunderstanding ;  and 
I  believe  that  if  you  will  call  upon  him,  and  show  him  this  note,  if 
there  is  any  misunderstanding  it  will  be  promptly  corrected ;  if  not, 
the  matter  will  stand  upon  this  order." 

The  result  of  it  all  was,  that  the  Secretary  of  War  receded 
from  the  position  he  had  taken,  and  the  bounty  which  the  men 
were  allowed  to  receive  by  the  act  of  Congress  was  paid.  The 
men  went  to  the  war,  served  faithfully,  and  did  not  return 
until  Lee's  army  surrendered  to  General  Grant,  and  the  Re 
bellion  was  crushed. 

We  have  given  considerable  prominence  to  this  subject  of 


534  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

the  Springfield  companies,  because,  at  the  time  when  the  men 
were  recruited,  the  refusal  of  the  Government  to  allow  them 
the  bounty  to  which  they  were  clearly  entitled,  both  by  the  law 
of  Congress  and  the  orders  of  the  War  Department,  created  a 
wide-spread  dissatisfaction,  and  served  for  a  time  as  a  block 
upon  the  recruiting  service  in  the  State,  and  at  a  time,  too, 
when  men  were  most  wanted,  and  it  was  of  the  highest 
importance  to  cultivate  a  kind  regard  in  the  hearts  of  volun 
teers,  and  the  people  generally,  for  the  cause  of  the  Union. 
It  was  also  of  special  importance  to  the  city  of  Springfield  that 
the  men  should  be  accepted,  and  thus  form  a  part  of  a  large 
contingent  which  that  city  had  to  furnish  under  the  call  of  the 
President  for  volunteers.  It  is  from  incidents  of  this  kind  that 
much  of  the  historic  interest  of  each  State  in  the  war  is  derived. 
We  have  already  given  the  letter  of  Miss  Philena  M.  Up- 
ham,  transmitting  a  scrap-book  which  she  had  made,  which,  in 
our  judgment,  was  one  of  the  pleasant  reminiscences  of  our 
great,  active  war.  We  have  also  given  the  letter  of  the  Gover 
nor  to  Senator  Sumner,  requesting  him  to  give  the  scrap-book 
to  the  Amory-square  Hospital,  to  be  first  read  by  Miss  Anna 
Lowell.  We  find  on  the  Governor's  files  a  letter  of  Jan.  9, 
to  Miss  Upham,  in  which  he  says, — 

•4 1  trust  that  you  will  not  attribute  to  me  any  want  of  appreciation 
of  the  thoughtful  kindness  which  prompted  you  to  prepare  with  such 
pains  the  manuscript  volume  for  the  use  of  convalescent  soldiers,  which 
you  had  the  kindness  to  forward  to  me  a  few  days  ago. 

"  1  avail  myself  of  the  earliest  moment  of  leisure  from  the  labors 
of  preparation  for  the  meeting  of  the  Legislature,  to  return  to  you, 
in  behalf  of  those  whose  weary  hours  the  pages  of  your  book  will 
amuse  and  instruct,  my  most  sincere  thanks  for  this  real  labor  of 
love. 

'•  I  have  forwarded  it,  through  the   Hon.  Charles  Sumner,  to  Miss 

-mia  Lowell  (a  sister  of  Colonel  Charles  R.  Lowell,  Second  Massa- 

Cavalry).  who  is  in  charge  of  the  Amory-square  Hospital ,  in 

Washington;  a  lady  whose  intelligence  will  insure  for  your  gift  the 

warmest  appreciation,  and  who  will  put  it  to  the  best  uses. 

'  Gratefully  acknowledging  your  gift,  as  I  do  every  contribution 
t    may   conduce   in    any  way   to   the    welfare,  the   comfort,   or   the 
sement    of  our    soldiers    in    camp    or    in    the    hospitals,    I    have 
the  honor  to  he,  &c.  JoIIN  A.  ANDKEW.» 


RE-ENLISTED    VETERANS.  535 

Complaints  were  made  in  January,  that  the  men  in  camp  at 
Long  Island  suffered  severely  from  the  cold,  and  that  many 
of  them  were  frost-bitten.  The  State  paymaster,  Edward  P. 
Bond,  was  directed  by  the  Governor  to  ascertain  whether  the 
complaints  were  true,  and  report.  On  the  12th  of  January, 
Mr.  Bond  having  visited  the  island,  and  examined  into  the 
^matter,  reported  that  he  was  satisfied  that  there  was  not  the 
slightest  truth  in  the  stories. 

"  Since  the  winter  commenced,  the  only  case  of  frost-biting  has 
been  that  of  a  man  who  was  detailed  as  cook,  and,  living  in  a  room 
by  himself,  suffered  his  fires  to  go  out,  and,  in  consequence,  had  his 
toes  slightly  bitten.  He  reported  himself  at  the  hospital,  and  an 
hour's  application  of  cold  water  cured  him.  The  guards  are  changed 
every  hour,  and,  on  very  cold  nights,  every  half-hour.  The  men  have 
floored  tents,  stoves,  and  all  the  fuel  they  want.  There  has  been 
but  one  death,  except  by  the  drowning  of  deserters,  since  the  camp 
was  established,  and  not  one  since  the  1st  of  October." 

The  order  of  the  War  Department  allowing  men  in  the  service 
to  re-enlist  who  had  less  than  one  year  to  serve  of  their  original 
term  was  one  of  the  wise  measures  of  Mr.  Stanton's  adminis 
tration.  It  retained  in  the  service  a  large  body  of  veteran 
troops.  Upwards  of  ten  thousand  of  the  men  in  the  Massa 
chusetts  regiments  re-enlisted  under  this  order,  and  were  credited 
to  the  quota  of  this  State.  As  an  inducement  to  the  re-enlist 
ment  of  veterans,  the  men  were  to  receive  large  Government 
and  State  bounties,  and  were  to  be  permitted  to  return  home 
on  a  furlough  of  thirty  days.  Those  who  did  not  re-enlist 
neither  received  the  bounties  nor  the  furloughs.  The  men 
came  home  with  a  portion  of  their  officers,  in  regimental  order. 
The  reception  of  these  veterans  was  enthusiastic  and  heartfelt. 
It  was  a  matter  of  deep  interest  to  look  upon  the  bronzed 
faces  and  martial  forms  of  these  heroes.  Those  who  had 
occasion  to  pass  through  Boston,  on  their  way  to  their  homes, 
were  cordially  received  by  the  State  and  city  authorities,  and 
received  a  banquet  from  the  city  in  Fancuil  Hall,  and  were 
addressed  sometimes  by  the  Governor,  sometimes  by  the  Adju 
tant-General,  and  always  by  Mr.  Lincoln,  the  Mayor  of  Boston. 

The  first  to  arrive  reached  Boston  on  the  17th  of  January ; 


536  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

and,  the  next  day,  the  Governor  wrote  the  following  letter  to 
Mayor  Lincoln  :  — 

"I  should  neglect  a  most  agreeable  duty,  if  I  should  omit  to 
acknowledge  in  the  most  cordial  manner  the  hearty  and  generous 
reception  which  the  city  government,  under  your  Honor's  direction, 
extended  yesterday  to  the  returning  veterans,  and  proposes  to  con 
tinue  towards  the  other  veteran  corps,  as  from  time  to  time  they 
pass  through  Boston,  on  their  furlough,  after  re-enlistment.  The 
highest  compliment  I  can  pay  to  its  fervor  and  liberality  is  to  say 
that  it  is  consistent  with  the  entire  history  of  the  municipality  of 
Boston  under  your  Honor's  administration." 

The  regiment  here  spoken  of  was  the  Thirty-second,  of  which 
Colonel  F.  J.  Parker  was  the  original  colonel.  As  an  acknowl 
edgment  of  his  past  services,  and  in  honor  of  the  regiment,  the 
Governor  appointed  him  to  act  on  the  occasion  as  one  of  his 
staff.  On  the  20th  of  January,  the  Governor  addressed  him. 
this  note  :  — 

'k  I  beg  to  express  my  thanks  for  your  service  as  an  officer  of  my 
staff  for  the  special  occasion  of  the  reception  of  the  Thirty-second 
Regiment,  last  Sunday,  and  also  my  regret  that  I  did  not  find  oppor 
tunity  personally  to  express  to  you  at  Faneuil  Hall  my  sense  of  your 
co-operation." 

On  the  21st  of  January,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Secre 
tary  Stan  ton,  — 

"Will  you  authorize  me  to  arrange  with  General  Burnside  to 
assign  to  his  command  an  expedition  of  Massachusetts  veteran  or 
ganizations  now  being  raised  here  ?  It  will  greatly  promote  their 
completion,  and  the  General  will  come  here  personally  to  assist." 

The  authority  asked  for  was  not  given;  but  these  regiments, 
as  soon  as  completed,  were  forwarded  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac,  and  afterwards  went  with  Grant  and  Meade  in  their 
advance  through  the  AVilderness. 

Major-General  W.  S.  Hancock,  commanding  the  Second 
Army  Corps,  then  on  recruiting  service  at  Harrisburg,  Pa., 
to  fill  up  his  corps,  wrote  to  the  Governor,  requesting  him 
to  use  every  means  in  his  power  to  recruit  the  Fifteenth, 
Nineteenth,  Twentieth,  and  Twenty-eighth  Regiments,  and  the 


THE    REVIEW    AT    KEADVILLE.  537 

company  of  sharpshooters  which  were  in  his  command.  On 
the  22(1  of  January,  the  Governor  wrote  to  General  Hancock, 
informing  him  that  no  efforts  on  his  part  should  be  wanting 
to  fill  up  the  regiments  as  he  requested.  He  also  said,  — 

"  I  should  gladly  welcome  you  to  this  State,  if  you  should  be  able 
to  come  here  on  the  recruiting  business  on  which  you  are  engaged, 
and  be  glad  to  have  you  address  the  people  here  in  behalf  of  your 
corps.  But  public  interest,  and  the  stream  of  recruits,  can  be  better 
turned  towards  the  Second  Corps  by  the  return  here  of  some  of  the 
regiments  which  belong  to  it,  than  by  any  individual  effort.  If,  at 
the  time  the  Nineteenth  shall  return,  you  shall  be  able  to  come  for 
a  day  to  Boston,  and  assist  in  making  a  public  appeal  to  fill  it  up, 
your  presence  would  be  of  great  assistance." 

General  Hancock  was  prevented  by  his  public  duties  from 
visiting  Boston  ;  but  every  effort  was  made,  and  with  a  fair 
degree  of  success,  to  fill  up  the  Massachusetts  Regiments  in 
the  Second  Corps. 

On  the  25th  of  January,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Gen 
eral  Burnside  at  New  York,  — 

"  I  have  fixed  Feb.  3  for  reviewing  the  troops  at  Readville.  You 
must  not  disappoint  us.  The  whole  Legislature  have  voted  to  attend." 

The  review  spoken  of  in  this  despatch  took  place  on  the  day 
named.  General  Burnside  was  present,  and  reviewed  the  men. 
The  Governor  and  staff,  the  Legislature,  and  an  immense 
crowd  of  people,  were  present  to  witness  it.  The  day  was 
unpleasant,  and  the  mud  was  ankle-deep  ;  but  the  review  went 
on.  The  condition  of  the  troops,  and  their  soldierly  appear 
ance,  elicited  the  praise  of  all,  and  specially  of  the  distinguished 
reviewing  officer. 

O 

On  the  26th  of  January,  Major  Ware,  assistant  military 
secretary,  addressed  the  following  letter  to  the  editor  of  the 
Christian  Watchman  and  Reflector,  by  request  of  the  Gov 
ernor  :  — 

"I  beg  leave  to  inclose  the  following  article  from  a  late  number 
of  your  paper,  and  very  respectfully  to  ask  your  attention  to  the 
facts. 

"On  Saturday  (the  day  before  the  Sunday  above-mentioned),  the 
attention  of  His  Excellency  the  Governor  was  called  to  the  camp  at 


538  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Keadville,  by  several  communications  from  town  authorities,  and  one 
from  the  Mayor  of  Roxbury,  alleging  that  the  troops  there  were 
suffering  severely  from  the  cold,  which  at  that  time  was  unusual, 
from  want  of  proper  clothing,  and  in  other  ways. 

"  It  did  not  seem  to  the  Governor  to  be  fit  or  proper  that  several 
thousand  men  should  suffer  for  one  single  day  in  a  Massachusetts 
camp  within  ten  miles  of  the  State  House,  if  by  any  efforts  of  his 
it  could  be  prevented.  He  accordingly  ordered  the  above-named  to 
report  to  him  for  duty  early  on  Sunday  morning,  and  with  them  lie 
devoted  the  entire  day  to  a  personal  and  minute  examination  of 
the  complaints  that  had  been  made  of  the  condition  of  the  men  and 
of  the  camp.  Prompt  measures  were  taken  to  disabuse  the  minds  of 
those  persons  who  had  been  misinformed,  and  arrangements  were  made 
for  the  immediate  relief  of  whatever  inconvenience  was  found  to  exist, 
by  the  supply  of  certain  articles  not  allowed  by  the  United-States 
army  regulations.  The  result  proved  that  this  Sunday  was  a  much 
more  proper  day  than  any  day  of  the  week  following  would  have  been 
for  instituting  inquiries  affecting  the  comfort,  and  possibly  the  lives, 
of  Massachusetts  soldiers. 

"  I  would  respectfully  ask  the  insertion  of  this  letter  in  your  paper, 
confident  that  no  other  explanation  can  be  needed,  at  least  by  the 
friends  of  the  soldiers  in  '  Camp  Meigs.' " 

On  the  30th  of  January,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  — 

"  I  desire  permission  earnestly  to  recommend  to  you  that  Brigadier- 
General  George  L.  Andrews,  commanding  the  Corps  d'Afrique  in 
Louisiana,  be  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major-general.  The  com 
mand  is  so  extensive  and  important,  and  General  Andrews  has  been 
so  identified  with  the  undertaking  of  organizing  colored  troops  in  the 
Department  of  the  Gulf,  that  it  seems  to  me  every  way  most  desirable 
and  important  that  he  should  have  the  rank  and  staff  that  would  best 
enable  him  successfully  to  carry  on  the  work.  He  is  a  most  accom 
plished  and  scientific  soldier,  who  has  done  credit  to  every  rank  in 
which  he  has  hitherto  served,  and  would,  I  have  no  doubt,  do  honor 
to  the  appointment  to  a  higher  grade ;  in  fact,  General  Andrews  has 
for  a  long  time  been  performing  the  duties  of  a  major-general,  having 
a  large  and  difficult  division.  I  think  it  of  great  importance  to  the 
undertaking  of  raising  colored  troops,  that  General  Andrews,  who 
has  thus  far  conducted  it,  should  not  be  superseded  by  the  accidental 
presence  of  an  officer  of  superior  rank." 


THE    BURIAL    OF    SOLDIERS.  539 

General  Andrews,  here  spoken  of,  was  one  of  the  first  volun 
teer  officers  in  the  war,  having  been  commissioned  lieutenant- 
colonel  of  the  Second  Massachusetts  Infantry,  May  24,  1361. 
He  was  afterwards  commissioned  colonel  of  that  regiment,  and 

O  " 

served  with  distinction  to  the  end  of  the  Rebellion.     He  is  now 
the  United-States  Marshal  of  Massachusetts. 

Charles  O.  Green,  one  of  the  selectmen  of  Shrewsbury,  wrote 
to  the  Governor  for  authority  to  have  the  remains  of  a  soldier 
who  had  fallen  in  battle  brought  home  for  interment.  On  the 
3d  of  February,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Mr.  Green  that  he 
had  no  authority  in  the  matter,  and  said,  — 

"  My  own  inclination  with  regard  to  those  of  my  friends  who  have 
fallen  in  this  war  is  to  have  them  rest  on  the  fields  where  they  fell. 
There  is  no  other  place  of  burial  for  them  more  congenial  to  their 
repose  or  to  my  feelings.  But  if  the  feelings  of  others  are  different, 
and  if  it  would  lessen  the  grief  of  a  parent  to  have  the  remains  of 
a  son  removed  from  the  battle-field  to  the  churchyard  near  his 
New-England  home,  I  would  be  the  last  person  to  interpose  any 
obstacle,  not  warranted  in  reason,  to  the  satisfaction  of  her  desire." 

In  the  month  of  February,  Surgeon-General  Dale  was  ap 
pointed  by  the  Governor  superintendent  of  the  State  agencies, 
so  far  as  they  related  to  the  care  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  ; 
and  the  agents  were  directed  to  correspond  directly  with  him 
on  those  subjects,  and  to  forward  to  him  from  time  to  time 
their  accounts  of  disbursements,  expenses,  &c.,  to  be  audited 
and  adjusted  at  his  office.  This  arrangement  relieved  the 
Governor  of  considerable  labor  and  care,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  added  materially  to  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the 
Surgeon-General.  On  the  2d  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote 
to  the  Surgeon-General  thus  :  — 

"  There  are  three  couriers  employed  under  my  authority,  to  have 
personal  care  and  charge  of  our  soldiers,  particularly  those  sick  and 
wounded,  en  route  between  Washington  and  New  York.  This  system 
was  established  by  me  some  time  ago,  on  consultation  with  our  various 
State  agents,  particularly  those  at  New  York  and  Washington." 

The  compensation  allowed  by  the  State  to  these  men  was  one 
hundred  dollars  a  month ;  a  sum  most  wisely  and  humanely 


540  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

expended,  as  the  couriers  took  care  of  our  disabled  and  suffering 
men  when  on  board  rail-cars,  and  saw  that  they  were  proper  y 
provided  for  at  their  places  of  destination. 

On  the  18th  of  February,  the  Governor  received  a  letter  from 
Major-General  Wool,  containing  forty-seven  dollars  in  Southern 
bills,  "  worth  perhaps  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar.  This  money  was 
sent  to  the  commandant  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment.  It  was  sent 
to  Private  Gilchrist  at  Richmond,  and  was  returned  to  Fortress 
Monroe.  Not  knowing  what  to  do  with  it,  I  have  taken  the 
liberty,"  says  General  Wool,  "  to  send  it  to  you,  to  make  such 
disposition  of  it  as  you  may  judge  proper." 

The  first  colonel  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment  was  Charles 
Devens,  who  had  been  appointed  by  the  President  brigadier- 
general  of  volunteers,  and  was,  at  the  time  this  letter  was 
written,  in  command  of  the  camp  for  drafted  men  at  Long 
Island,  Boston  Harbor.  The  Governor  transmitted  General 
Wool's  letter  to  General  Devens,  who  wrote  an  answer  to  it 
Feb.  22,  in  which  he  gives  an  interesting  account  of  this 
money.  He  said  that  the  money  properly  belonged  to  the 
Fifteenth  Regiment;  that,  in  the  winter  of  1861-62,  he  sent 
to  Captain  Studley,  in  Richmond,  two  hundred  dollars  for  the 
benefit  of  the  prisoners  there,  belonging  to  the  Fifteenth  Regi 
ment.  Captain  Studley  was  himself  a  prisoner  in  Richmond, 
lie  was  to  expend  the  money  for  the  men  according  to  his  own 
discretion.  The  money  had  been  sent  to  him  by  some  friends 
in  Boston,  after  the  disaster  at  Ball's  Bluff,  and  was  part  of  a 
larger  sum  ($1,000),  to  be  expended  in  any  way  he  thought 
proper.  When  the  two  hundred  dollars  arrived  in  Richmond, 
a  portion  of  the  men  of  the  Fifteenth  had  been  sent  to  Salis 
bury,  N.C.  Captain  Studley  sent  this  sum  of  forty-seven 
dollars  for  them  to  Sergeant  Taft,  who  had  died  in  prison 
before  the  money  arrived.  Although  the  men  were  told  of  the 
money,  the  jailer  would  not  give  it  to  them,  and  the  money 
was  sent  back  to  the  regiment.  A  second  attempt  was  made 
to  get  the  money  to  the  men  in  Salisbury,  by  sending  it  to 
Private  Gilchrist ;  but  he  had  been  released  before  it  reached 
that  place.  General  Devens  was  not  aware  what  had  become 
of  the  money,  although  he  knew  that  it  had  not  been  received, 


THE    BATTLE    OF    OLUSTEE.  541 

until  he  read  General  Wool's  letter,  which  the  Governor  had 
sent  him.  He  had  never  succeeded  in  getting  any  money  to  our 
prisoners  in  Salisbury.  He  had  informed  Captain  Studley  that 
the  men  could  have  more  money  when  they  wanted  it,  and  the 
captain  had  informed  the  men  at  Salisbury.  General  Devens 
concludes  his  letter  as  follows  :  — 

"  This  sum  should  therefore  be  sent  to  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  Fifteenth,  for  the  benefit  of  the  regiment ;  and  I  am  sorry  that 
they  yet  have  men  in  that  infernal  prison-house  of  Richmond  who 
can  expend  it  there." 

On  the  4th  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to  J.  Z.  Goodrich, 
Collector  of  the  Port  of  Boston, — 

"  On  the  12th  of  December  last,  I  received  from  Mr.  Caleb  Howe, 
Jr.,  information  that  led  to  the  arrest  of  officers  and  crew  of  the 
schooner  '  Alliance,'  of  Bear  River,  N.S.,  for  aiding  soldiers  to  desert 
from  the  camp  on  Long  Island,  some  of  whom  were  tried,  and,  through 
witnesses  obtained  by  Mr.  Howe's  influence,  were  convicted  of  the 
offence.  I  learn  that  Mr.  Howe  is  an  applicant  for  a  place  in  the 
Custom  House.  Please  give  him  the  benefit  of  any  service  this  state 
ment  may  do  him  with  you." 

On  the  15th  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Brigadier- 
General  George  H.  Gordon,  formerly  colonel  of  the  Second 
Massachusetts  Regiment,  who  had  forwarded  to  him  a  list  of 
the  casualties  in  the  battle  of  Olustee,  Fla. 

"  I  regret,  with  you,  that  our  forces  should  have  met  with  so  heavy 
a  loss  for  such  a  barren  result,  and  would  express  my  warmest  ad 
miration  at  the  brave  conduct  of  our  troops  in  that  action  :  both 
white  and  black  seem  to  have  acquitted  themselves  nobly." 

This  letter  reminds  us  of  one  of  our  colored  soldiers  who 
was  severely  wounded  in  the  battle,  and  received  an  honorable 
discharge,  and  who  returned  to  Massachusetts.  He  reported 
himself  to  the  office  of  the  Adjutant-General,  showed  his  dis 
charge  paper  and  descriptive  list.  The  poor  fellow  had  been 
shot  in  the  face  by  a  musket-ball,  which  had  passed  through 
both  of  his  cheeks,  and  had  taken  away  a  part  of  his  tongue,  so 
that  he  could  with  difficulty  speak  so  as  to  be  understood.  He 
told  us  that  he  was  left  on  the  field,  and,  when  our  troops  re- 


542  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

treated,  he  came  within  the  enemy's  lines.  He  was  determined, 
however,  not  to  be  taken  prisoner,  if  he  could  avoid  it ;  and  not 
withstanding  the  severity  of  his  wounds,  and  weakness  from  the 
loss  of  blood,  he  managed  to  make  his  wray  for  three  miles, 
part  of  the  time  on  his  hands  and  knees,  until  he  came  within 
our  lines  again.  He  was  sent  to  hospital ;  and,  when  he  had  re 
covered  sufficiently  to  endure  the  fatigues  of  a  voyage  home, 
he  was  discharged,  and  sent  to  Boston.  He  complained  that  he 
had  been  charged  eighteen  dollars,  which  sum  was  taken 
from  his  pay,  for  the  loss  of  his  musket  and  knapsack,  which  he 
had  left  on  the  field,  being  unable  to  carry  them  and  save  him 
self  from  being  made  a  prisoner.  We  thought  it  a  hard  case, 
and  represented  the  facts  in  a  letter  to  the  proper  department 
at  Washington  ;  but  no  attention  was  ever  given  to  it,  and  the 
soldier  suffered  the  loss. 

It  was  proposed  by  the  selectmen  of  Plymouth,  to  call  one 
of  the  earthwork  forts,  being  erected  in  that  town  for  the  pro 
tection  of  the  harbor,  Fort  Andrew,  in  honor  of  the  Governor. 
On  the  16th  of  March,  he  wrote  to  William  T.  Davis,  chair 
man  of  the  Board  of  Selectmen  of  Plymouth,  as  follows  :  — 

"  No  fort  as  yet  bears  the  name  which  your  Board  of  Selectmen 
has  so  generously  proposed  for  the  larger  fort  now  in  progress  in 
Plymouth  harbor,  nor  had  any  ambition  of  my  own  ever  suggested  to 
my  mind  the  possibility  of  becoming  in  that  manner  associated  with 
such  a  work.  I  am  deeply  sensible  of  the  honor ;  and,  while  I  feel  that 
it  does  not  properly  belong  to  me,  I  can  only  leave  to  you  and  your 
associates  the  final  decision,  with  the  single  suggestion  that  it  would 
seem  to  me  more  fitting  the  occasion  to  connect  the  name  of  Edward 
Winslow,  who  was  the  first  Governor  of  the  Plymouth  Colony,  with 
one  of  the  fortifications  of  the  harbor  of  Plymouth,  than  the  name  you 
propose,  even  if  I  were  a  hundred  times  more  worthy  than  I  know 
myself  to  be." 

The  two  forts  here  referred  to  were  subsequently  named  Fort 
Andrew  and  Fort  Standish.  The  largest  and  most  important 
one  was  named  after  the  Governor  of  the  State,  and  the  smaller 
one  in  honor  of  the  Puritan  captain  of  the  colony,  Captain 
Miles  Standish. 

On  the  17th  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to  H.  P.  Sturgis, 


LIBERAL   DONATION   FROM   ENGLAND.  543 

of  Boston,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  a  note  from  him  cover 
ing  copies  of  two  letters,  one  from  Mr.  Russell  Sturgis,  of 
London,  and  the  other  from  Mr.  N".  H.  Carna,  also  of  London, 
and  a  check  on  a  Boston  Bank  for  $1,312.  This  money  was 
given  by  Mr.  Carna,  to  be  expended  by  Governor  Andrew  in 
behalf  of  those  to  "  whom  the  proclamation  by  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  supported  by  the  Union  arms,  has  secured 
the  inestimable  blessing  of  liberty."  The  Governor  then 
says,— 

"  I  have  spoken  to  Dr.  Le  Baron  Russell,  who  is  actively  engaged 
as  chairman  of  our  committee  on  teachers,  of  the  propriety  of  sending, 
in  return,  copies  of  some  reports  and  documents  illustrating  the  success 
attending  the  efforts  already  made  to  educate  and  improve  the  moral 
and  social  condition  of  the  emancipated  colored  people.  Dr.  Russell 
will  place  a  number  of  these  documents  in  your  hands  ;  and  I  beg  of 
you  the  favor  to  transmit  them,  through  Mr.  Russell  Sturgis,  to  Mr. 
Carna." 

Mr.  Carna,  we  believe,  was  an  English  gentleman  of  wealth 
and  high  social  position,  who  sympathized  warmly  with  the 
cause  of  the  Government,  and  the  elevation  and  improvement 
of  the  colored  race. 

On  the  24th  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  again  to  Miss 
Philena  M.  Upham,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  a  second 
scrap-book,  which  she  had  made  for  the  use  and  amuse 
ment  of  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in  hospitals.  The 
Governor  informs  Miss  Upham,  that  this  second  volume  had 
been  "placed  in  the  hands  of  our  agent  in  Washington,  Mr. 
Gardiner  Tufts,  to  be  put  where  he  should  judge  best.  I  beg 
you  to  accept  my  grateful  thanks  for  your  thoughtful  remem 
brance  of  our  suffering  soldiers." 

We  find  on  the  Governor's  files  a  letter  addressed  to  him  by 
Owen  Lovejoy,  a  member  of  Congress  from  Illinois,  dated 
Washington,  Feb.  22,  from  which  we  make  the  following 
characteristic  extract :  — 

"  Do  you  know  that  I  am  hoping,  when  slavery  has  been  swept 
away,  for  a  revival  of  religion,  pure  and  undefiled,  which  will  be  em 
inently  practical,  and  the  cause  that  it  knows  not  it  will  search  out ; 
and,  instead  of  expending  its  energies  in  theologies  and  creeds  and 


544  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLIOX. 

rubrics,  it  shall  go  around,  like  its  Divine  Author,  healing  the  sick, 
cleansing  lepers,  giving  eyes  to  the  blind,  ears  to  the  deaf,  and  charity 
to  all.  ...  I  am  sick,  and  have  used  the  hand  of  another,  and  feel 
unable  to  dictate  any  more.  May  God  bless  you  and  the  Old  Bay 
State !  " 

Mr.  Lovejoy  was  for  many  years  a  distinguished  member  of 
Congress  from  Illinois,  and  was  a  brother  of  Rev.  Mr.  Lovejoy, 
who,  more  than  thirty  years  ago,  had  bis  printing-office  attacked 
in  Alton,  111.,  by  a  mob,  and  was  himself  slain,  because  of 
the  anti-slavery  sentiments  of  which  be  was  an  eloquent  and 
powerful  advocate.  Mr.  Lovejoy,  the  writer  of  the  above 
letter,  died  a  short  time  after  it  was  written. 

Major  Horace  O.  Whittemore,  of  the  Thirtieth  Regiment, 
was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel,  Nov.  26,  1863  ;  but,  be 
fore  it  was  issued,  certain  complaints  were  made  to  the  Gov 
ernor  in  regard  to  him,  which  induced  him  to  withhold  the 
commission  until  an  investigation  was  made  by  Brigadier-Gen 
eral  Burt,  Judge- Advocate-General  of  Massachusetts.  On  the 
llth  of  April,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  Adjutant-General, — 

"  I  have  to  direct  that  the  commission  be  delivered  to  Major  Whitte 
more  (now  Lieutenant-Colonel  Whittemore)  ;  it  being  satisfactorily  es 
tablished,  in  my  judgment,  that  no  proper  objection  to  his  promotion 
exists,  and  that  those  which  were  suggested  had  their  origiu  in  mis 
take.  I  ana  of  opinion  that  Lieutenant-Colonel  Whittemore  is  a  zealous 
and  faithful  officer ;  and  I  take  this  occasion  to  say  that  the  condition 
in  which  he  brought  his  veterans  home  on  their  present  furlough  is 
evidence  of  a  high  degree  of  intelligence  and  care,  exercised  by  a  com 
petent  and  efficient  commander.  Their  appearance  was  in  all  respects 
creditable  and  satisfactory." 

The  officer  above  referred  to  was  major  of  the  Fourth  Regi 
ment,  in  the  three  months'  service,  and  was  the  first  loyal 
officer  to  touch  the  soil  of  Virginia,  after  hostilities  were  com 
menced,  having  landed  at  Fortress  Monroe  on  the  morning  of 
April  20,  1861. 

On  the  19 th  of  April,  the  Governor  wrote  by  his  military 
secretary,  Colonel  Browne,  to  William  E.  Parmenter,  of 
West  Cambridge,  — 

"  I  send  you  copies  of  correspondence  concerning  an  application  of 


EXCHANGE    OF   PRISONERS.  545 

Colonel  Joselyn,  of  our  Fifteenth  Regiment,  precisely  similar  to  that  in 
the  case  in  which  you  are  interested.  You  will  see  that  it  is  about 
hopeless  to  induce  the  Secretary  of  War  to  let  any  rebel  go  from  the 
North  to  the  South,  to  arrange  an  exchange  for  himself.  But  General 
Hitchcock  seems  to  think  there  would  be  no  objection  to  the  reverse 
of  the  arrangement,  and  is  willing  to  arrange,  with  any  of  our  men 
whom  the  rebels  will  send  North,  for  the  return  of  rebels,  and  exchange 
for  them.  I  will  stir  up  the  case  again,  nevertheless." 

In  April,  two  enlisted  men  were  tried  by  court-martial  for 
military  offences,  and  sentenced  to  be  shot.  On  the  21st  of 
April,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Major  Cabot,  commanding  Fort 
Warren,  where  the  condemned  men  were  confined,  — 

"  Are  there  any  mitigating  circumstances  in  the  cases  of  either  of 
the  two  soldiers  under  sentence  of  death,  which  would  justify  my 
asking  the  President  or  General  Dix  by  telegraph  to  commute  or  de 
lay  execution?  I  would  gladly  save  either,  or  both,  if  consistent, 
and,  if  any  doubt  exists,  will  urge  delay  for  investigation." 

We  do  not  find  the  answer  which  Major  Cabot  returned  to 
this  letter.  It  was  probably  unfavorable,  as  the  men  were  shot, 
in  compliance  with  the  sentence  pronounced  by  the  court-mar 
tial. 

On  the  25th  of  April,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Secretary 
Stanton,  that  he  had  received  a  despatch  from  General  Dix,  in 
forming  him  that  all  of  the  heavy  artillery  companies  on  duty 
in  the  forts  would  be  immediately  ordered  to  the  field,  and 
requesting  that  a  militia  regiment  be  called  out  to  take  their 
places  at  Fort  Warren  and  elsewhere.  The  Governor  says,  — 

"  In  order  to  systematize  matters,  I  wish  you  would  let  our  twelve 
heavy  artillery  companies  be  organized  and  march  as  a  regiment. 
Eight  companies  were  raised  for  general  service.  Cabot's  battalion 
of  four  companies,  though  raised  with  special  understanding,  yet  will 
march  willingly  with  other  eight  in  regimental  organization,  under  him 
as  colonel,  for  heavy  artillery  duty." 

The  request  was  peremptorily  refused  by  Secretary  Stanton. 
On  the  25th  of  April,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Senator  Sumner 
and  forwarded  him  copies  of  the  telegrams  he  had  received,  and 
those  which  he  had  sent.  The  twelve  companies  numbered 
about  eighteen  hundred  men.  Referring  to  Secretary  Stanton's 

35 


546  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

refusal  to  allow  the  companies  a  regimental   organization,  the 
Governor  said,  — 

"This  I  consider  to  be  one.  of  the  most  bold  and  unjustifiable  of 
outrages.  Our  men  are  to  be  scattered  about,  without  organization, 
head,  centre,  field,  or  staff.  I  do  not  complain  that  they  are  called  for, 
although  raised  for  special  duty  here.  They  will  go  as  good  men,  with 
good  cheer.  But  this  treatment  is  not  to  be  passed  by  without  remon 
strance.  I  trust  you  and  the  delegation  in  Congress  will  see  that 
eighteen  hundred  men  of  Massachusetts  volunteers  will  not  be  called 
to  the  field,  as  they  are  intended  to  be  called  by  the  Government, 
without  a  regimental  organization.  The  next  step  will  be  to  draft  our 
people  per  capita,  to  fill  the  regiments  of  other  States.  If  need  be, 
claim  at  the  hands  of  the  President  our  proper  rights.  He  is  the  re 
sponsible  head  :  let  him  be  held  responsible." 

A  portion  of  these  companies  were  sent  to  the  front ;  but  the 
battalion  under  Major  Cabot,  on  duty  in  Fort  Warren,  was  not 
allowed  to  go.  The  necessity  of  its  services  at  the  forts  for 
the  defence  of  Boston,  and  the  large  number  of  rebel  prisoners 
which  they  had  to  guard,  were  duties  of  too  great  importance 
to  be  intrusted  to  inexperienced  companies  of  militia.  The 
other  companies  were  placed  on  garrison  duty  in  the  defences 
of  Washington,  and  were  soon  after  given  a  regimental  form  of 


organization. 


There  were  at  this  time  one  hundred  and  seventy- two  rebel 
prisoners  at  Fort  Warren,  among  whom  were  Captain  Reed  of 
the  "  Tacony,"  Captain  Webb  of  the  "Atlanta,"  half  a  dozen 
of  Morgan's  guerillas,  several  of  Longstreet's  officers,  and  a 
large  number  of  blockade-runners  ;  many  of  them  desperate 
characters,  all  of  whom  required  close  watching.  There  were 
one  hundred  and  one  guns  mounted  in  the  fort,  and  the  mag 
azines  were  well  supplied  with  proper  ammunition.  Major 
Cabot  had  given  great  attention  to  the  discipline  of  his  men  in 
heavy  artillery  practice.  He  had  also  made  a  valuable  chart, 
showing  the  range  of  the  various  channels.  This  knowledge 
was  of  great  value,  and  had  been  gained  through  much  practice. 
There  was  a  constant  detail  for  guard  duty  of  seventy-five  men. 
For  these  and  other  reasons,  it  was  deemed  unadvisable  to  re 
lieve  the  fort  of  this  garrison  of  practised  artillerists,  and  to 
supply  their  places  with  companies  of  raw  militia. 


SECRETARY    STANTON.  547 

It  would  appear  from  the  correspondence  on  the  Governor's 
files,  that  some  misunderstanding  and  ill-feeling  existed  on  the 
part  of  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Governor.  It  appears 
that  Governor  Andrew  had  written  Francis  P.  Blair,  Sen.,  a 
letter,  requesting  him  to  see  the  President  in  relation  to  Captain 
Ralph  O.  Ives,  of  the  Massachusetts  Tenth  Regiment,  who  was 
a  prisoner  at  Richmond.  He  had  been  dismissed  the  service  by 
orders  from  the  War  Department,  while  yet  a  prisoner.  The 
object  of  writing  to  Mr.  Blair  was  to  have  him  reinstated  in 
his  rank.  Mr.  Blair  was  personally  acquainted  with  Captain 
Ives.  This  letter  had  been  given  to  Secretary  Stanton  by  the 
President,  and  he  had  taken  offence  at  it.  Mr.  Stanton  also 
complained  to  Mr.  Hooper,  member  of  Congress,  that  the  Gov 
ernor  had  delayed  sending  forward  the  heavy  artillery  companies. 
On  the  3d  of  May,  the  Governor  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Hooper,  in  which  he  says,  — 

"  Mr.  Stanton  is  utterly  and  entirely  mistaken  in  saying  or  sup 
posing  that  the  forwarding  of  those  companies  has  been  delayed  for  a 
single  hour  by  me.  It  is  not  in  my  power  to  delay  them,  even  were  I 
so  disposed.  They  have  been  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United 
States,  and  were  in  no  manner  under  my  control,  as  Mr.  Stanton  must 
perceive  on  a  moment's  reflection." 

The  Governor  then  goes  on  to  show  that  there  had  been  no 
delay  whatever  in  forwarding  those  companies,  but  that  they 
had  been  forwarded  with  the  utmost  despatch.  One  of  the 
reasons  given  by  Mr.  Stanton  for  keeping  them  back  was,  that 
the  Governor  had  been  disappointed  in  not  procuring  for  them 
a  regimental  organization.  This  he  pronounced  equally  un 
founded,  but  still  insisted  upon  the  justice  of  his  request. 

"  The  regimental  organization,"  he  said,  "  is  due  to  these  companies 
and  still  more  to  our  batteries  in  the  field,  —  due  to  their  accomplished 
officers,  and  necessary  for  their  efficiency  and  usefulness.  It  is  given 
to  every  other  State  that  asks  it,  even  to  those  having  many  fewer 
companies  than  Massachusetts  has  in  the  field,  and  is  denied  only 
to  its" 

In  regard  to  Major   Cabot's   battalion  at  Fort  Warren,   he 


548  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

"  I  would  say  that  no  one  can  fail  to  perceive  that  the  fort  would 
only  be  a  source  of  danger  to  this  city,  instead  of  a  protection,  if  left 
to  the  care  of  companies  of  raw  militia  without  a  single  hour's  drill  in 
the  use  of  the  guns,  or  (many  of  them)  a  day's  acquaintance  with  the 
duties  of  a  soldier.  It  is  not  impossible  that  the  public  property 
exposed  there,  the  forts  and  their  raw  garrisons,  would  be  an  easy 
prey  to  the  prisoners  now  guarded  there,  and  the  city  itself,  for  a  time, 
at  their  disposal.  There  are  accomplished  rebel  officers  confined  in 
the  fort ;  among  them,  an  accomplished  artillery  officer  from  Long- 
street's  army,  besides  a  large  number  of  the  most  dangerous  and 
desperate  class  of  prisoners." 

The  Governor's  letters  on  this  subject  were  so  frank,  and 
his  representations  so  proper,  that  Mr.  Stanton  at  once  agreed 
that  he  was  mistaken,  and  that  the  Governor  was  right,  and 
this  set  the  matters  between  the  Secretary  and  the  Governor 
upon  the  same  pleasant  footing  as  before,  and  so  they  con 
tinued  until  the  end  of  the  war.  The  letter  of  the  Governor 
to  Mr.  Hooper  was  written  on  the  same  day  that  General 
Grant  commenced  his  memorable  march  across  the  Rapidan 
towards  Richmond. 

On  the  7th  of  May,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Mr. 
Hooper,  House  of  Representatives,  Washington,  — 

"  General  Schouler  reports  that  he  and  Major  Clarke,  U.S.A.,  as 
sistant  Provost-Marshal  for  Massachusetts,  have  agreed  on  figures, 
showing  our  total  deficiency,  on  May  1,  was  only  4,076  men,  with 
some  credits  not  yet  ascertained." 

Up  to  this  time,  no  credits  whatever  had  been  allowed  by  the 
General  Government  for  men  furnished  by  Massachusetts  in 
the  navy,  which  amounted,  in  round  numbers,  to  upwards  of 
23,000  men,  which,  if  credited,  as  they  were  a  few  weeks  after 
wards  by  an  act  of  Congress,  would  have  shown  that  Massa 
chusetts  had  not  only  filled  her  contingent  upon  every  call  of 
the  President,  but  would  have  a  surplus  of  about  19,000 
men. 

On  the  6th  of  May,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  Secretary  of 
War,  urging  the  appointment  of  Colonel  William  F.  Bartlett, 
of  the  Fifty-seventh  Regiment,  as  brigadier-general.  Colonel 
Bartlett,  while  a  captain  in  the  Twentieth  Regiment,  had  lost  a 


INJUSTICE  TO  COLORED  TROOPS.  549 

leg  in  the  service.  He  afterwards  raised  the  Forty-ninth  (nine 
months')  Regiment,  and  went  with  it  as  colonel,  to  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Gulf.  His  gallantry  and  coolness  before  Port 
Hudson  commanded  the  admiration  of  both  armies.  He  was 
wounded  there  also.  On  his  recovery,  he  was  commissioned 
colonel  of  the  Fifty-seventh,  and,  when  the  letter  was  written, 
was  with  his  regiment  in  the  Ninth  Army  Corps.  The  Gov 
ernor  concludes  his  letter  as  follows  :  — 

"You  will  note  that  this  is  the  second  time  Colonel  Bartlett  has 
marched  from  Massachusetts  at  the  head  of  a  regiment,  since  losing 
his  leg  in  battle  on  the  Peninsula.  Besides  peculiar  courage  and  self- 
possession  in  action,  he  is  a  young  man  of  fine  powers,  conspicuous  for 
general  mental  capacity,  and  of  superior  culture.  He  is  a  graduate 
of  Harvard  College.  I  have  the  honor  now  to  request,  and  express 
my  fervent  wish,  that  he  may  receive  at  once  that  commission,  as  well 
deserved  by  an  intrepidity  and  a  merit  so  eminent." 

Colonel  Bartlett  was  commissioned  brigadier-general  of  vol 
unteers,  June  27,  1864,  and  was  afterwards  bre vetted  major- 
general  for  brave  and  meritorious  services  in  the  field. 

On  the  10th  of  May,  the  Governor  forwarded  to  Senator 
Surnner  a  letter  which  he  had  received  from  Colonel  Hartwell, 
of  the  Fifty-fifth  Regiment,  showing  the  discontent  which  ex 
isted  in  that  and  the  other  colored  regiment,  because  of  the 
refusal  of  the  Government  to  pay  them  the  same  as  white  troops. 
In  forwarding  the  letter,  the  Governor  writes,  — 

"  For  God's  sake,  how  long  is  the  injustice  of  the  Government  to  be 
Continued  towards  these  men  ?  Is  it  intended,  by  still  deliberately  with 
holding  from  them  what  the  Attorney-General  of  the  United  States  has 
decided  to  be  their  legal  right,  to  goad  them  into  mutiny,  and  to 
quench  the  mutiny  with  blood  ?  .  .  .  The  wives  and  children  of  many 
of  them  have  been  forced  into  public  almshouses  by  their  necessities. 
.  .  .  If  mutiny  shall  occur,  and  blood  shall  be  shed,  the  responsibility 
will  rest,  before  God,  on  the  Government  at  Washington.  I  have  not 
words  to  express  my  feelings  of  indignation  and  shame  at  the  fraudu 
lent  conduct  of  our  Government  in  this  matter,  which,  since  Mr.  Bates's 
opinion,  is  without  a  shadow  of  palliation.  ...  I  entreat  you  to  see  the 
President  personally,  and  beg  him,  for  the  sake  of  justice  and  of  the 
country,  to  prevent  the  shedding  of  innocent  blood,  and  to  cause  these 
men  to  be  paid  instantly.'" 


550  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLION. 

The  first  six  months  of  1864  were  chiefly  devoted  by  the  Gov 
ernor  and  other  State  officers,  and  the  city  and  town  authorities, 
to  raising  recruits,  forming  new  regiments,  and  paying  bounties. 
The  new  enrolment  of  the  State,  made  under  the  general  super 
vision  of  State  and  United-States  authorities,  did  not  give 
satisfaction  in  many  localities,  and  bore  with  great  hardship 
especially  upon  our  seaport  and  fishing  towns,  many  of  their 
young  men  being  already  in  the  naval  service,  for  whom  they  re 
ceived  no  credit.  The  files  of  the  Governor's  and  the  Adjutant- 
General's  office  show  that  several  thousand  letters  were  received 
and  written,  bearing  upon  this  subject.  Most  of  the  letters 
from  the  State  House  were  written  by  the  assistant  Ad 
jutant-General,  Major  William  Rogers,  and  were  addressed  to 
the  authorities  in  the  different  towns,  correcting  mistakes  in  the 
returns  made  in  the  enrolment,  explaining  the  orders  received 
from  Washington  relating  to  the  draft,  and  urging  the  necessity 
of  furnishing  volunteers  to  fill  their  quotas,  and  thus  to  avoid 
conscription.  Many  of  the  town  officers  were  inexperienced,  and 
were  oftentimes  defrauded  by  a  class  of  men  who  represented 
themselves  as  recruiting  agents,  who  had  men  at  their  command, 
to  fill  quotas  for  a  certain  sum  of  money.  The  town  authorities, 
anxious  to  avoid  a  draft,  gave  a  too  willing  ear  to  the  represen 
tations  of  these  men,  and  paid  the  town's  money,  before  the 
men  had  been  mustered  in,  and  proper  credits  given  to  the 
towns.  When  the  muster  and  descriptive  rolls  were  received 
at  the  State  House  from  the  United-States  mustering  officers, 
and  from  the  various  camps  of  rendezvous,  they  did  not  show, 
in  many  instances,  that  the  men  had  been  enlisted,  and  were 
credited  to  the  towns  which  had  advanced  the  local  bounty ;  so 
that  towns  which  were  supposed  to  have  filled  their  quotas  were 
still  deficient  in  the  number  of  men  required  of  them.  These 
failures  caused  much  dissatisfaction,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
the  blame  was  attributed  to  the  Adjutant-General,  who  it  was 
supposed  made  out  the  rolls,  and  gave  the  credits,  neither  of 
which  were  true.  These  failures  to  obtain  credits  were  dis 
cussed  in  some  of  the  newspapers  in  the  State,  and  especially  in 
a  paper  called  the  Vineyard  Gazette,  published  in  Edgar- 
town,  Dukes  County. 


COMPLAINTS    OF    TOWN    OFFICERS.  551 

A  convention  of  delegates,  representing  the  discontented 
towns,  was  held  in  Boston,  in  June  ;  at  which  there  were  speeches 
made,  and  resolutions  passed,  reflecting  upon  the  State  au 
thorities,  and  especially  upon  the  Adjutant-General,  who,  in  the 
April  preceding,  had  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Governor,  call 
ing  his  attention  "  to  the  way  in  which  men  enlisted  by  the 
several  town  authorities  to  fill  their  quotas  are  credited  by 
orders  from  Washington,  which  is  creating  much  dissatisfaction, 
and  is  doing  great  injustice."  In  this  letter  the  Adjutant-Gen 
eral  pointed  out  the  very  evils  which  the  convention  complained 
of,  and  contained  suggestions  which,  adopted  by  the  authorities 
at  Washington,  would  have  prevented  their  continuance.  Of 
this  letter,  and  of  the  efforts  made  by  the  Governor  and  the 
Adjutant-General  to  have  credits  given  correctly,  the  members 
of  the  June  convention  had  never  inquired  into,  and  were 
totally  ignorant  of.  If  they  had  been  acquainted  with  these 
facts,  they  would  probably  have  passed  resolutions  of  a  different 
character.  It  was  the  intention  of  the  Adjutant-General  to  have 
taken  no  notice  of  the  proceedings  of  the  convention,  or  of  the 
discussions  in  the  newspapers,  or  of  a  "  circular  signed  by  Kich- 
ard  L.  Pease  and  others,"  dated  Edgartown,  June  13.  But 
at  the  request  of  the  Governor,  he  wrote  the  following 
letter :  — 

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  Boston,  June  24,  1864. 
To  His  Excellency  JOHN  A.  ANDREW,  Governor  and  Commander-in-chief. 

GOVERNOR,  —  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
letter  of  this  date,  calling  my  attention  to  a  circular  signed  by  Richard 
L.  Pease  and  others,  dated  Edgartown,  June  13.  I  had  seen  this  cir 
cular  before ;  and  I  have  read  also  articles  in  the  Vineyard  Gazette, 
upon  the  subject  spoken  of  in  the  circular. 

I  have  not  deemed  it  my  duty  to  reply  to  these  attacks,  knowing  as 
I  did  how  utterly  groundless  they  all  were,  so  far  as  they  regarded  the 
Adjutant- General,  or  the  clerks  in  his  office.  From  what  I  learn,  the 
complaint  is,  that  certain  towns  have  enlisted,  and  paid  local  bounties 
to  men  whose  names  appear  upon  the  muster  arid  descriptive  rolls  in 
this  office,  credited  to  other  towns ;  and,  in  some  cases,  names  appear 
upon  the  muster-rolls  as  from  one  town,  and  upon  the  descriptive  rolls 
as  from  another.  Another  class  is  of  men  whose  names  appear  cred 
ited  to  no  town  upon  the  muster-rolls,  and,  upon  the  descriptive  rolls, 


552  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

to  the  town  where  they  properly  belong.  For  these  errors,  discrepan 
cies,  and  omissions  the  parties  blame  the  Adjutant-General,  or  the 
clerks  in  his  office,  —  with  what  justice  let  the  following  facts  show. 

The  rolls  in  this  office  show  the  names  of  about  eighty-five  thousand 
men.  It  would  be  strange,  if,  in  making  out  these  rolls,  there  should 
not  have  been  some  errors  ;  but  I  believe  them  to  be  the  most  correct 
rolls  in  the  possession  of  any  State  ;  and  I  know  this  is  the  opinion 
of  Major  Breck,  U.S.A.,  who  is  the  officer  having  the  charge  of 
the  rolls  in  Washington.  If  they  are  not  correct,  it  has  not  been  the 
fault  of  any  one  in  this  office  ;  for,  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  Re 
bellion  until  now,  it  has  been  the  constant  and  unremitting  endeavor 
of  every  one  in  this  office  to  have  the  rolls  correct. 

But  it  appears  that  the  gentlemen  who  find  fault  suppose  that  the 
rolls  are  made  in  this  office,  and  under  my  immediate  supervision  ; 
when  the  truth  is,  the  rolls  are  made  at  the  camps,  by  the  officers  in 
charge.  When  it  is  reported  to  me  that  a  company  or  regiment  is 
recruited  to  the  proper  standard,  and  the  muster-rolls  completed,  an 
order  is  issued  to  the  United-States  mustering  officer  to  go  to  camp, 
and  muster  it  in.  Three  copies  of  the  roll  are  made  out :  one  is  sent 
to  the  War  Department,  one  is  retained  by  the  captain  of  the  company, 
and  one  is  sent  to  me. 

These  rolls  are  properly  signed  by  the  mustering  officer,  who  certi 
fies,  "on honor,"  that  they  are  correct.  I  then  issue  an  order  to  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  camp  to  have  the  "  descriptive  roll "  made 
out ;  and  he  has  always  been  urged  to  see  that  they  are  made  out 
correct.  Before  the  company  or  regiment  leaves  the  State,  these  rolls 
are  deposited  in  this  office,  and  are  open  to  the  inspection  of  any  re 
sponsible  person  who  wishes  to  examine  them. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  Rebellion,  and  up  to  a  very  recent  day, 
the  muster-rolls  used  by  the  United-States  authorities  did  not  show  the 
residence  of  the  person  ;  and  it  was  on  account  of  this  defect  that  I 
had  a  form  of  blank  made,  which  is  known  as  a  "  descriptive  roll ; " 
on  this  roll  the  residence  of  the  person  is  given,  and  it  has  been  from 
this  roll  that  certificates  for  the  State  aid  have  been  issued.  These 
rolls  have  been  regarded  as  so  correct,  that  the  Adjutant- General  of 
the  United  States  has  requested  copies  for  his  office,  where  the  mus 
ter-rolls  of  Massachusetts  regiments  or  companies  have  been  lost,  or 
were  never  returned  to  his  office. 

Your  Excellency  will  see,  by  the  above  simple  statement,  that  the 
rolls,  about  which  complaint  is  made,  are  not  made  by  me,  or  by  any 
one  in  this  office.  They  are  made  in  the  several  camps,  under  the  su 
pervision  of  officers  appointed  by  your  Excellency  to  command  them. 


LETTER  OF  THE  ADJUTANT-GENERAL.         553 

• 

They  are  all  properly  certified  to  by  the  United- States  mustering  and 
company  officers  ;  and,  in  regard  to  the  descriptive  rolls,  generally  by 
the  adjutant  of  the  regiment.  These  rolls  remain  on  file  here,  to  be 
consulted  whenever  necessary. 

I  might  here  close  this  communication,  but  I  wish  to  add  something 
more.  Few  complaints  were  ever  made  that  the  rolls  were  incorrect 
until  lately,  and  that  since  the  inauguration  of  the  system  of  offering 
large  State  and  local  bounties.  This  system  warmed  into  life  a  certain 
class  of  men  known  as  recruiting  or  substitute  brokers,  who  agree  to 
fill  the  quotas  of  towns  for  a  specified  sum.  I  have  not  a  high  opinion 
of  this  class ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  many  of  the  selectmen  and 
town  agents  have  been  grossly  swindled  by  them.  Numerous  cases 
have  come  to  my  knowledge,  where  they  have  given  certificates  that 
they  had  furnished  the  men,  and  that  the  men  had  been  mustered  in, 
when  the  facts  were  not  so  ;  and  bounty  money  has  been  paid  to  re 
cruits  and  brokers  before  any  assurance  could  be  given  that  the  recruit 
would  be  accepted,  and  credited  to  the  town.  I  have  no  doubt,  that,  in 
many  cases,  the  recruit  and  broker  were  fellow-partners  in  the  swindle. 
Again,  I  have  no  doubt  that  gross  wrong  has  been  done  by  these  brok 
ers  in  this  way;  viz.,  men  who  go  into  new  regiments  can  only  be 
mustered  in  when  the  company  is  filled :  this  sometimes  takes  weeks, 
and  months.  The  broker's  recruit  goes  to  camp ;  and,  before  the  mus 
ter  is  made,  the  broker  sells  the  man  again,  and  he  turns  up  at  last  as 
a  recruit  for  a  certain  ward  in  Boston,  when  he  originally  enlisted,  it 
may  be,  for  the  quota  of  Edgartown. 

The  Vineyard  Gazette  says  that  Edgartown  paid  local  bounties  to 
the  men  who  enlisted  for  the  quota  of  that  town,  and  were  not  credited 
to  it,  the  sum  of  $10,375,  and  lays  the  blame  upon  this  office. 

I  have  already  shown  that  this  office  had  nothing  to  do  with  making 
out  the  rolls,  or  with  giving  credits.  I  regret  that  any  town  should 
have  expended  this  sum  without  gaining  any  reward  ;  but,  instead  of 
finding  fault  with  innocent  parties,  I  respectfully  submit,  that  the  tax 
payers  of  the  town  might  properly  ask  the  gentlemen,  who  confess 
that  they  paid  the  money,  why  they  paid  it  before  they  had  positive 
knowledge  that  the  men  were  credited  to  the  quota  of  their  town  ? 
Common  prudence  would  seem  to  dictate  this  course. 

When  Brigadier-General  Devens  had  command  of  the  camp  at  Long 
Island,  a  few  months  ago,  he  brought  to  my  attention  the  fact,  that 
some  selectmen,  who  had  received  enlistment  papers  from  this  office, 
had  signed  the  same  in  blank,  and  had  left  them  with  brokers  in  Boston, 
to  get  the  men,  and  fill  out  the  certificates,  which  certificates  read  as 
follows  :  — 


554  MASSACHUSETTS^   THE    REBELLION. 

"  I  certify,  on  honor,  that  I  have  minutely  inspected  the  volunteer, 
,  previously  to  his  enlistment,  and  that  he  was  entirely  sober 


when  he  enlisted ;  that,  to  the  best  of  my  judgment  and  belief,  he  is 
of  lawful  age  ;  and  that,  in  accepting  him  as  duly  qualified  to  perform 
the  duties  of  an  able-bodied  soldier,  I  have  strictly  observed  the  regu 
lations  which  govern  the  recruiting  service." 

Then  follows  a  description  of  the  person  recruited. 

Only  last  week,  a  roll  was  presented  at  this  office  of  sixty-four  men 
in  the  navy,  with  a  request  that  they  be  credited  to  a  certain  town  in 
this  vicinity,  sworn  to  by  the  chairman  of  the  selectmen,  that  the  men 
"  were  legal  citizens  of  said  town,  and  liable  to  do  military  duty 
therein."  And  yet  thirty-six  of  these  men  were  rebel  prisoners, 
taken  at  Missionary  Ridge,  Tenn.,  sent  to  the  military  prison  at 
Rock  Island,  111.,  where  they  took  an  oath  of  allegiance,  and  after 
wards  sent  to  Massachusetts,  where  they  were  enlisted  as  sailors, 
and  were  put  on  board  the  receiving  ship  '  Ohio.'  Not  a  man  of 
them  had  ever  been  in  Massachusetts  before. 

I  do  not  state  these  facts  to  find  fault  with  town  or  city  authorities  : 
I  have  daily  evidence  of  their  arduous,  patriotic,  and  ofttimes  ill- 
requited  labors.  And  if  they  have  trusted  bad  men,  and  paid  their 
money  upon  false  statements,  they  have  done  so  with  an  honest  pur 
pose,  and  with  a  belief  that  they  were  doing  the  best  they  could  for 
their  several  constituencies.  They,  however,  should  be  upon  their 
guard,  and  should  act  upon  the  same  principle  in  paying  local  bounties, 
that  I  do  in  paying  State  bounties  ;  which  is,  not  to  make  out  a  pay 
roll  for  State  bounties,  until  I  have  a  roll  in  this  office,  signed  by  the 
mustering  officer,  showing  the  city  and  town  to  which  the  men  are 
credited. 

Many  of  these  brokers  are  sharp  practitioners.  They  work  for 
money,  and  not  for  the  cause  ;  their  motto  seems  to  be,  "  to  suckle  ar 
mies,  and  dry-nurse  the  land."  I  wish  to  state,  that  in  every  instance 
where  it  has  been  in  my  power  to  correct  rolls,  and  give  the  towns  the 
proper  credit,  I  have  done  what  I  could  to  accomplish  it.  I  have 
written  frequently  to  Washington  on  the  subject,  sometimes  with  suc 
cess,  sometimes  without.  I  have  also  had  frequent  interviews  with 
Major  Clarke  for  the  same  object ;  and  he  has  done  what  he  could  to 
correct  errors  growing  out  of  the  vicious  system  of  recruiting  through 
irresponsible  and  corrupt  brokers. 

To  show  how  easy  it  is  to  cheat,  I  will  relate  a  circumstance  that 
happened  only  the  day  before  yesterday.  Two  men,  belonging  to  Tops- 
field,  enlisted  for  that  town  in  Lieutenant  Holmes's  office,  who  is  him 
self  a  citizen  of  Topsfield ;  they  were  mustered  in,  one  for  Uxbridge, 


LETTER    OF    THE    AD  J  JIT  ANT-GENERAL.  555 

and  one  for  Tewksbury ;  the  men  themselves  knew  nothing  of  the 
change.  Lieutenant  Holmes  investigated  the  matter  ;  and  it  was  dis 
covered  that  the  clerk  in  his  office,  for  one  hundred  dollars  paid  him, 
made  out  fraudulent  enlistment  papers.  I  reported  the  case  to  Major 
Clarke ;  and,  as  the  rolls  had  not  been  forwarded  to  Washington,  the 
men  were  credited  to  Topsfield,  where  they  belonged. 

When  the  call  was  made  in  July,  1863,  for  three  hundred  thousand 
three  years'  men  to  be  raised  by  draft,  certain  towns  claimed  that  they 
should  be  credited  with  the  surpluses  they  had  already  furnished  ;  Colo 
nel  Fry,  Provost-Marshal-General  of  the  United  States,  agreed  that 
they  should  be.  Accordingly,  from  the  sworn  statements  of  the  vari 
ous  municipalities,  made  to  this  office  in  1862,  and  from  the  descriptive 
rolls  of  men  enlisted  after  those  returns  were  made,  a  table  was  made 
out  by  Major  Rogers,  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  showing  the  exact 
number  which  each  town  claimed ;  that  table  was  forwarded,  to  Colonel 
Fry,  but  he  would  not  consider  it ;  and  the  various  sub-districts  of  Mas 
sachusetts  had  to  raise  the  men  allotted  to  them,  without  receiving 
credit  for  these  supposed  surpluses.  All  the  facts  referred  to  will  be 
found  in  my  Annual  Report  for  1863,  pages  34-45.  Because  these 
surpluses  were  not  allowed  at  Washington,  should  blame  be  attached 
to  the  Adjutant-General,  or  the  State  authorities  ? 

In  relation  to  the  discrepancy  between  the  enlistment  papers  and  the 
muster-rolls  of  more  recent  origin,  I  had  the  honor,  on  the  6th  of  April 
last,  to  call  your  Excellency's  attention  to  them  in  a  communication  of 
some  length,  which  you  indorsed,  and  sent  General  Peirce  to  Wash 
ington,  to  have  the  corrections  which  I  suggested  approved  by  the 
War  Department.  He  remained  there  about  two  weeks,  but  the  Sec 
retary  of  War  was  so  much  engaged  with  the  advance  of  the  army, 
that  he  could  not  attend  to  the  matter  ;  about  two  weeks  after  his  re 
turn,  authority  was  given  to  Major  Clarke  to  make  the  corrections. 
But  it  was  too  late :  the  draft  had  commenced,  and  no  further  delay 
would  be  granted. 

I  would  now  say,  in  conclusion,  that  the  credits  to  the  State  are 
given  in  Washington  without  consultation  with  me.  The  number 
which  each  town  or  sub-district  is  to  furnish  is  fixed  by  the  provost- 
marshal,  and  not  by  me  ;  the  muster-rolls  are  sent  to  this  office  by  the 
United-States  mustering  officer,  who  certifies  to  their  correctness,  and 
they  are  not  made  by  me. 

The  descriptive  rolls  are  made  in  the  various  camps,  and  signed  by 
the  officer  in  command  as  correct.  They  are  not  made  out  in  this 
office. 

Whenever  I  found  a  name  wrong  on  the  descriptive  roll,  I  have  sent 


556  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

a  blank  to  the  regiment  to  have  the  error  corrected.  This  has  been 
done  in  more  than  two  thousand  cases ;  and  I  shall  continue  so  to  do, 
notwithstanding  the  order  of  the  War  Department,  that  the  muster- 
rolls  shall  in  all  cases  govern  credits. 

I  know  that  the  Adjutant- General,  and  those  in  his  office,  have  been 
most  unjustly  treated  by  the  articles  in  the  Vineyard  Gazette,  and  by 
the  convention  which  met  in  this  city  this  week ;  yet  I  have  declined 
to  answer  the  accusations,  for,  although  I  have  been  an  editor  of  a  daily 
paper  for  twenty  years,  I  have  a  strong  repugnance  to  appearing  in 
print.  Besides  this,  I  have  the  inward  consciousness  that  I  have  done 
my  duty  faithfully  and  honestly. 

I  have  made  this  statement,  because,  in  the  opinion  of  your  Excel 
lency,  some  notice  should  be  taken  by  me  of  these  matters.  There  is 
much  more  I  could  say.  In  conclusion,  I  would  respectfully  sum  up 
what  I  regard  the  real  cause  of  the  evils  complained  of,  and  the  rem 
edy  to  be  applied  to  them.  The  cause  has  been  the  free  use  of  money 
in  trading  with  brokers  and  swindlers  ;  and  the  remedy  is,  not  to  pay 
a  cent  of  bounty  or  premium  until  the  recruit  is  mustered  in,  and 
then  to  pay  it  to  the  recruit,  and  not  to  the  broker. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant-  General. 

This  letter  was  published,  by  direction  of  the  Governor,  in 
the  Boston  newspapers,  and  was  copied  generally  throughout 
the  State.  It  put  an  end  to  the  controversy  ;  and  the  Adjutant- 
General  had  the  satisfaction  of  receiving  letters  from  a  number 
of  members  of  the  convention,  acknowledging  their  mistake, 
and  regretting  the  injustice  which  the  convention  had  done  to 
that  officer. 

In  the  first  six  months  of  the  year,  the  following  new  regi 
ments  were  organized,  and  sent  to  the  front :  — 

The  Fifty-sixth,  Colonel  Charles  E.  Griswold,  was  organized 
at  Rcadville,  and  left  the  State  March  20. 

The  Fifty-seventh,  Colonel  William  F.  Bartlett,  was  or 
ganized  at  "  Camp  Wool,"  Worcester,  and  was  sent  forward 
April  18. 

The  Fifty-eighth,  nine  companies,  was  recruited  at  Readville, 
and  was  sent  to  the  front,  under  command  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  John  C.  Whiton,  April  28. 

The  Fifty-ninth  was  recruited  at  Readville,  by  Colonel  Jacob 
P.  Gould.  It  left  the  State  April  26. 


DEPARTURE  OF  NEW  REGIMENTS.  557 

These  regiments  were  ordered  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  reported  to  Lieutenant-General  Grant,  only  a  few  days 
previous  to  the  advance  of  the  army  towards  Richmond.  They 
suffered  severely  in  officers  and  men.  Colonel  Griswold,  of  the 
Fifty-sixth,  was  killed  in  the  Wilderness.  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Weld  was  taken  prisoner.  Colonel  Gould,  of  the  Fifty-ninth, 
was  so  severely  wounded,  as  to  cause  amputation  of  the 
leg,  of  which  he  died.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hodges  was  killed 
in  the  explosion  of  what  was  called  "the  mine."  Colonel 
Bartlett,  of  the  Fifty-seventh,  was  taken  prisoner,  also,  in  "  the 
mine." 

In  addition  to  the  four  infantry  three  years'  regiments,  two 
new  regiments  of  cavalry  were  organized  and  forwarded. 

The  Fourth,  Colonel  Arnold  A.  Rand,  and  the  Fifth  (col 
ored) ,  Colonel  Henry  S.  Russell,  and  a  new  battalion  of 
cavalry  for  the  First  Regiment  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  to  take 
the  place  of  the  cavalry  commanded  by  Major  Stevens,  which 
had  been  attached  to  the  Fourth  Regiment  Massachusetts 
Cavalry. 

The  Second  Battalion  of  the  Fourth  Cavalry  left  Boston  by 
transport  for  Hilton  Head,  S.C.,  under  command  of  Major 
David  B.  Keith,  on  the  20th  of  March,  and  arrived  at  Hilton 
Head  April  1. 

The  Third  Battalion  of  Cavalry,  under  command  of  Major 
Louis  Cabot,  sailed  from  Boston  on  the  23d  of  April,  and 
arrived  at  Hilton  Head  on  the  27th. 

These  two  battalions  were  immediately  transferred  to  the 
Department  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  with  orders  to 
report  to  Major-General  Butler,  at  Fortress  Monroe. 

The  First  Battalion,  which  had  been  for  a  long  time  in 
South  Carolina,  was  also  sent  to  Virginia,  to  report  to  General 
Butler. 

The  First  and  Second  Battalions  of  the  Fifth  Cavalry  left 
Readville  Camp,  for  Washington,  on  the  5th  of  May ;  Major 
Horace  N.  Weld,  having  command  of  the  First,  and  Major 
Charles  Francis  Adams,  Jr.,  of  the  Second;  left  Boston, 
May  6.  The  Third  Battalion,  under  command  of  Major 
Henry  P.  Bowditch,  left  Readville,  for  Washington,  on  the 


558  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    REBELLION. 

8th  of  May.  The  regiment  was  commanded  by  Colonel  Henry 
S.  Russell. 

The  Eleventh  Company  of  Light  Artillery,  commanded  by 
Captain  Edward  J.  Jones,  left  Readville  Camp  for  Washington, 
Feb.  5. 

The  Fourteenth  Company  of  Light  Artillery,  under  com 
mand  of  Captain  Joseph  W.  B.  Wright,  left  Readville  Camp 
for  Washington,  April  4. 

The  Sixteenth  Company  of  Light  Artillery,  under  command 
of  Captain  Henry  D.  Scott,  left  Readville  Camp  for  Washing 
ton,  April  19. 

These  light  batteries  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

Four  companies  of  heavy  artillery  were  raised  and  forwarded 
to  Fortress  Monroe,  March  7  :  one  commanded  by  Captain 
John  Pickering,  one  by  Captain  Lyman  B.  Whiton,  and  one 
by  Captain  Joseph  M.  Parsons,  sailed  from  Gallop's  Island,  by 
transports,  to  Washington,  June  23.  Another  company  was 
raised  by  Captain  Cornelius  F.  Driscoll,  and  was  sent  forward  to 
Washington,  by  transport,  on  the  22d  of  September.  These 
four  companies  were  attached  to  the  eight  companies  of  heavy 
artillery  which  were  raised  in  1863,  and  forwarded  to  the  front 
in  May,  1864,  to  which  reference  has  been  made,  and  were  or 
ganized  into  a  regiment,  known  as  the  Third  Regiment  Massa 
chusetts  Heavy  Artillery,  of  which  Captain  William  S.  Abert, 
U.S.A.,  was  commissioned  colonel. 

In  addition  to  these  new  organizations,  several  thousand  men 
were  sent  forward  as  recruits  to  fill  old  regiments. 

The  end  of  the  war  was  approaching.  The  last  grand  cam 
paign  had  begun.  The  right  man  to  command  the  Union 
forces  had  been  found.  A  plan  had  been  adopted,  and  was 
being  carried  out.  General  Grant  was  at  the  head  of  the 
Union  army,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-general,  and  there 
fore  outranked  all  others.  To  insure  success,  he  required 
co-operation,  and  co-operation  necessitated  a  system.  The 
enemy  held  the  interior  lines,  which  embraced  all  means  of 
communication  by  railroads,  telegraphs,  turnpikes,  rivers,  and 
county  roads.  While  he  held  these,  without  an  organized 
system  of  attack  from  the  Union  forces,  he  had  the  vantage- 


THE   POSITION   OF   AFFAIRS.  559 

ground.  By  them  he  could  concentrate  his  army  wherever 
force  was  required  ;  but,  by  a  well-developed  and  well-understood 
movement  on  our  part,  a  great  portion  of  these  advantages 
were  lost. 

Thus,  when  General  Grant  assumed  full  command,  he  de 
vised  a  scheme  by  which  there  should  be  an  advance  made  from 
all  the  different  military  points.  For  the  first  time  in  the  war, 
we  had  a  commander-in-chief.  The  war  of  the  Union  was  no 
longer  to  be  fought  by  twenty  different  commanders,  each  act 
ing  upon  his  own  responsibility,  and  without  concert  of  action. 
The  plan  made  by  General  Grant  insured  victory  in  the  end. 
The  great  power  of  the  loyal  States  was  to  be  concentrated  in 
one  grand  movement,  which  was  to  close  in,  compress,  and 
annihilate  the  enemy.  Never  was  a  plan  better  devised  ;  never, 
when  we  consider  the  magnitude  of  the  enterprise  and  its  suc 
cessful  termination,  surpassed  by  the  greatest  military  com 
mander  of  the  world.  General  Grant  knew  the  officers  whom 
he  could  trust,  and  they  had  confidence  in  him.  The  petty 
ambitions  and  jealousies  which  had  existed  through  the  war 
vanished. 

The  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  advanced  from  the  Kapidan 
towards  Richmond  on  the  3d  of  May,  and,  after  six  weeks 
of  daily  fighting,  driven  Lee  and  the  rebel  army  of  Vir 
ginia  within  the  fortifications  of  Richmond.  Grant  had  crossed 
the  James  River,  and,  practically,  laid  siege  to  Richmond  and 
Petersburg,  —  aided  by  the  Army  of  the  James,  under  the 
command  of  Major-General  Butler. 

In  the  mean  time,  Sherman,  with  his  Army  of  the  Tennessee 
and  the  Cumberland,  had  advanced  towards  Atlanta,  and 
taken  it,  and  was  preparing  for  his  grand  march  to  the  sea, 
through  the  State  of  Georgia  to  Savannah.  The  wisdom  of 
General  Grant's  plan  of  the  war  is  seen  in  this  :  that,  by  press 
ing  the  rebel  forces  under  General  Lee,  and  keeping  them  in 
daily  activity,  he  made  it  impossible  for  the  latter  to  spare 
enough  of  his  force  to  prevent  the  advance  of  Sherman.  Thus 
stood  the  loyal  and  the  rebel  forces  on  the  1st  of  July,  1864. 


CHAPTER    XL 

General  Position  of  Affairs  at  the  Beginning  of  1864  —  Credits  in  the  Navy  — 
Law  of  Congress  —  Appointment  of  Commissioners  —  Circular  Letter  — 
Agents  to  Recruit  in  Rebel  States  —  Letter  to  Mr.  Everett  —  Governor  An 
drew  in  Washington  —  Pay  of  Colored  Troops  —  Letter  to  the  President  — 
Letter  to  Mr.  Stan  ton  —  Expectation  of  Rebel  Attack  on  our  Coast  —  Present 
of  a  Turtle  —  Brigadier-General  Bartlett  —  Letter  to  Governor  Seymour,  of 
New  York  —  Letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War  —  Letter  to  the  Attorney-Gen 
eral —  Letter  to  Andrew  Ellison  —  Colonel  N.  A.  M.  Dudley  —  Letter  of  Gov 
ernor  Yates,  of  Illinois  —  Case  of  Otis  Newhall,  of  Lynn — Case  of  Mrs. 
Bixby,  of  Boston  —  Letter  to  the  President  —  Plan  to  burn  the  Northern 
Cities  —  Speech  of  Mr.  Everett  —  Destruction  of  the  "  Alabama  "  —  Honors 
paid  to  Commodore  Winslow  —  Donations  for  our  Soldiers  —  Letter  of  Mr. 
Stebbins — Letter  to  the  Union  League  Club,  New  York — Colored  Officers 
—  Letter  to  James  A.  Hamilton  —  Battle  before  Nashville  —  Case  of  Jack 
Flowers  —  National  Conventions  — Nominations  —  Republican  State  Conven 
tion —  Proceedings  —  Renomination  of  Governor  Andrew  —  Democratic  State 
Convention  —  Nominations  —  Report  of  the  Adjutant-General's  Journey  to 
the  Front  —  Staff  Appointments  during  the  Year  —  Conclusion. 

THE  general  position  of  affairs  up  to  July  1,  1864,  in  the  State, 
and  at  the  front,  we  have  given  in  the  last  chapter.  At  that 
time,  Governor  Andrew  was  in  Washington.  On  the  1st  of 
July,  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  order  to  relieve  veteran  troops 
on  garrison  duty  at  various  points,  and  send  them  into  active 
service,  called  for  militia  regiments  for  one  hundred  days'  ser 
vice  to  take  their  places,  and  perform  their  duties.  Massachu 
setts  furnished  five  regiments  of  one  hundred  days'  men,  under 
this  call.  They  were,  —  the  Fifth  Regiment  of  Infantry,  Colonel 
Peirson,  which  left  the  State  July  28,  and  was  stationed  at  Fort 
Marshall,  in  the  vicinity  of  Baltimore  ;  the  Sixth  Regiment  of 
Infantry,  Colonel  Follansbee,  which  was  sent  forward  July  20, 
and  was  detailed  for  duty  at  Fort  Delaware,  Md.,  a  depot 
for  rebel  prisoners  ;  the  Eighth  Regiment  of  Infantry,  Colonel 
Peach,  which  left  the  State  July  26,  and  was  stationed  for  duty 
at  Baltimore  and  Cockeysville,  Md.  The  Forty-second  Regi- 


NEW    REGIMENTS.  561 

ment  of  Infantry  left  for  Washington,  under  command  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Steadman,  July  24;  and  Colonel  Burrill, 
who  had  returned  home  after  a  long  captivity  in  Texas,  joined 
the  regiment  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  and  remained  with  it  until  it 
returned  home,  and  was  mustered  out.  The  Sixtieth  Regiment 
of  Infantry,  a  new  organization,  left  the  State,  under  Colonel 
Wass,  for  Washington,  Aug.  1,  and  was  afterwards  sent  to  In 
dianapolis,  Ind.,  where  it  remained  until  its  term  of  service 
expired. 

Nine  unattached  companies  of  one  hundred  days'  men  were 
also  recruited  for  garrison  duties  in  the  forts  on  our  coast.  The 
number  of  men  thus  recruited  was  5,461,  and  they  were  not 
credited  to  the  quota  of  the  State. 

A  regiment  of  infantry  was  recruited  for  one  year's  service, 
and  was  known  as  the  Sixty-first  Regiment.  It  left  the  State 
in  detachments,  to  report  to  General  Grant  at  City  Point.  Of 
this  regiment,  Charles  F.  Walcott  was  commissioned  colonel, 
Nov.  9,  1864.  The  Fourth  Regiment  of  Heavy  Artillery,  one 
year's  men,  was  also  recruited,  and  left  the  State  by  detach 
ments,  between  the  10th  and  16th  of  September,  for  Washing 
ton.  Lieutenant-Colonel  William  S.  King,  formerly  of  the 
Thirty-fifth  Regiment  of  Infantry,  was  commissioned  colonel. 
This  regiment  was  detailed  for  duty  in  the  defences  o'f  Washing 
ton.  Two  unattached  companies,  respectively  commanded  by 
Captain  Kenny  and  Captain  Brigham,  were  sent  forward  to 
Washington,  for  the  same  service.  Captain  Brigham's  com 
pany  left  the  State  Sept.  26  ;  and  Captain  Kenny's  company, 
Oct.  29. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  1,247  men  were  mustered  in  for 
ninety  days'  service. 

On  the  4th  of  July,  Congress  passed  an  act  allowing  credits 
to  be  given  for  men  in  the  naval  service  who  had  entered  dur 
ing  the  Rebellion.  This  was  one  of  the  most  just  deeds  of 
Congress  during  the  war,  and  great  credit  is  due  to  Governor 
Andrew  for  it.  He  was  at  Washington  when  the  bill  passed. 
On  the  5th  of  July,  he  sent  the  following  telegram  to  the 
Adjutant-General,  — 

36 


562  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

"  My  impression  is,  that,  under  the  volunteer  laws,  hundred  day 
men  cannot  be  mustered,  but  militia  can  be  mustered  for  one  hundred 
days.  If  Sheuandoah  raid  subsides,  and  duty  of  patriotism  therefore 
permits  reference  to  our  own  interests,  I  shall  consider  the  interest  of 
Massachusetts  served  by  not  favoring  hundred  days'  men,  since  they 
tend  to  diminish  volunteering  for  longer  terms.  Am  making  excellent 
progress,  both  about  naval  credits,  and  recruiting  in  disloyal  States, 
under  new  law.  Thus  far,  my  visit  is  of  the  utmost  advantage.  Prob 
ably  finish  to-morrow." 

In  carrying  into  effect  the  law  of  Congress  allowing  navy 
credits,  the  Secretary  of  War  decided,  that  the  men  should 
be  credited  to  the  State  in  which  they  enlisted,  unless  it 
should  be  proved  that  they  properly  belonged  elsewhere.  Gov 
ernor  Andrew  and  ex-Governor  Clifford  were  appointed 
commissioners  to  take  charge  of  the  navy  enlistment  in  Mas 
sachusetts  ;  they  were  to  decide  all  questions  relating  thereto, 
and,  in  case  of  disagreement,  the  Secretary  of  War  was  to  act 
as  umpire.  No  disagreement  ever  occurred.  As  the  law  did 
not  pass  until  July  4,  and  a  draft  was  to  be  made  early  in  Sep 
tember,  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the  number  of  navy 
credits  to  which  Massachusetts  was  entitled  should  be  immedi 
ately  known  and  properly  distributed.  To  obtain  tbis  informa 
tion,  recourse  was  had  to  the  muster-rolls  on  board  the  receiving 
ship  "  Ohio,"  at  the  Charlestown  Navy  Yard.  Captain  Green, 
U.S.N.,  in  command  of  the  ship,  gave  permission  to  the  Ad 
jutant-General  to  make  a  transcript  of  these  rolls,  and  he 
employed  two  clerks  to  perform  the  work  :  these  were  all  that 
could  be  employed  at  one  time,  because  of  the  limited  room  on 
board  the  ship  where  they  were  kept.  It  appeared,  by  these 
rolls,  that  the  total  number  of  men  who  had  enlisted  in  Massa 
chusetts  into  the  navy  from  April  13,  1861,  to  Feb.  24,  1864, 
the  date  fixed  by  act  of  Congress,  was  22,360. 

In  order  that  a  just  distribution  of  these  credits  should  be 
made  among  the  several  cities  and  towns,  the  commissioners 
caused  a  circular  to  be  sent  to  the  municipal  authorities  of  each 
place,  requiring  a  sworn  return  of  the  names  of  all  persons  re 
siding  within  their  municipalities,  who  had  entered  the  naval 
service  during  the  Rebellion,  up  to  Feb.  24,  1864.  Answers 


CREDITS    IN   THE    NAVY.  563 

were  received,  and  the  whole  number  of  men  thus  claimed  was 
16,181. 

In  arranging  the  names  in  order  that  the  credits  might  be 
given,  twenty-five  clerks  were  employed  in  the  daytime  by  the 
Adjutant-General,  and  an  equal  number  during  the  night,  for 
several  weeks,  as  the  work  had  to  be  completed  on  or  before  the 
fifth  day  of  September,  the  day  fixed  for  the  draft. 

The  Secretary  of  War  decided  that  only  three  years'  men 
should  be  counted  as  a  unit :  some  men  had  enlisted  for  one 
year,  some  for  two  years ;  but  the  great  majority  were  three 
years'  men.  It  took  three  one  year's  men  to  count  one,  and 
three  two  years'  men  to  count  two.  The  total  number  of  enlist 
ments,  when  reduced  to  a  three  years'  term  of  service,  was 
16,625  men.  The  number  of  enlistments  claimed  by  the  several 
cities  and  towns  was  allowed  them,  and  there  was  a  surplus 
left  of  7,605  men,  which  were  distributed,  pro  rata,  to  the  sev 
eral  cities  and  towns  in  the  Commonwealth. 

None  of  the  men  were  entitled  to  the  State  bounty,  although 
their  families  were  to  receive  the  State  aid. 

On  the  llth  of  April,  1864,  the  Legislature  passed  a  law 
allowing  a  bounty  of  $100  to  men  who  should  enlist  for  three 
years  in  the  navy  after  that  date,  and  be  credited  to  this  State ; 
to  men  who  enlisted  for  two  years,  $66.66  ;  and  to  one  year's 
men,  $33.33  :  and  imposed  upon  the  Adjutant-General  the  duty 
of  making  out  the  bounty-rolls. 

From  Feb.  24  to  Dec.  1,  1864,  3,808  men  enlisted  in  the 
navy,  and  were  placed  to  the  credit  of  the  Commonwealth ; 
making  the  total  number  of  men  who  had  enlisted  in  the  navy 
from  Massachusetts,  up  to  that  date  (Dec.  1,  1864),  26,168, 
which  completed  a  contingent  of  every  town  in  the  State  upon 
all  the  calls  made  by  the  President,  and  left  a  surplus  of  13,083 
men. 

The  law  passed  Nov.  18,  1863,  by  the  Massachusetts  Legis 
lature,  provided  that  "residents  of  any  town,  or  ward  of  a 
city,  in  this  Commonwealth,  enlisting  in  any  other  town  or 
ward,  shall,  nevertheless,  be  counted  on  the  quota  of  the  town 
or  ward  of  which  the  person  is  a  resident,  until  the  quota  of  that 
town  or  ward  is  filled."  Upwards  of  a  thousand  contested 


564  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

cases  of  credits  grew  out  of  this  section  of  the  law  :  most  of 
them  being  in  regard  to  minors  who  lived  in  one  town,  and 
whose  parents  lived  in  another. 

A  circular  was  sent  from  the  office  of  the  Adjutant-General 
to  the  authorities  of  each  city  and  town,  directing  that  the  evi 
dence  in  respect  to  these  contested  cases  should  be  in  writing, 
and  sworn  to  before  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  forwarded 
to  the  Adjutant-General,  who  should  decide  which  of  the 
places  should  have  the  credit.  The  papers,  when  received,  were 
referred  to  Major  Rogers,  Assistant  Adjutant-General ;  but  be 
fore  the  cases  could  be  considered,  and  credits  given,  an  order 
was  issued  by  the  War  Department,  that  the  "  muster-rolls 
should,  in  all  cases,  govern  the  credits."  This  seemed  to  pre 
clude  further  action  by  the  State  authorities  ;  but,  on  represent 
ing  the  matter  to  the  Provost-Marshal-General  of  the  United 
States,  permission  was  given  to  Major  Clarke,  U.S.A.,  the 
military  commander  of  Massachusetts,  to  arrange  the  credits, 
and  he  adopted  the  list,  as  reported  by  Major  Rogers,  from 
the  written  evidence  which  he  had  examined.  This  did  not 
give  entire  satisfaction  in  all  cases,  but,  nevertheless,  was 
just. 

The  act  of  Congress,  allowing  the  naval  credits,  afforded  a 
means  by  which  to  satisfy  the  discontented  cities  and  towns  ;  as, 
by  allowing  these  men  to  be  credited,  the  quota  of  every  place 
was  filled,  besides  leaving  a  large  balance  to  the  credit  of  the 
State. 

The  act  of  Congress,  passed  July  4,  allowing  naval  credits, 
also  made  it  lawful  for  the  executive  of  any  of  the  loyal  States 
to  send  recruiting  agents  into  any  of  the  States  in  rebellion, 
except  Arkansas,  Tennessee,  and  Louisiana,  to  recruit  volun 
teers,  who  should  be  credited  to  the  State  procuring  the 
enlistment.  Governor  Andrew  had,  long  before  the  law 
passed,  pressed  upon  the  War  Department  the  justice  and 
importance  of  such  a  measure.  He  argued  that  it  would  relieve 
the  loyal  States  from  the  necessity  of  furnishing  so  many  men; 
and  would  take  from  the  disloyal  States  a  portion  of  their 
power ;  it  would  afford  to  the  loyal  people  of  the  rebel  States 
an  opportunity  to  fight  for  the  Union  which  they  professed  to 


RECRUITING   IN    REBEL    STATES.  565 

love,  and  give  them  an  honorable  part  in  the  great  struggle  in 
which  the  nation  was  involved ;  in  a  word,  that  it  would 
strengthen  the  loyal  States,  and  weaken  the  disloyal. 

On  the  14th  of  July,  Governor  Andrew  caused  to  be  issued 
General  Order  No.  27,  which  appointed  Major  Joseph  M.  Day, 
of  Barnstable,  Provost-Marshal  of  the  Commonwealth,  with  the 
rank  of  colonel,  to  whose  supervision  wras  committed  the  re 
cruitment  of  men  in  the  disloyal  States.  It  also  provided  that 
there  should  be  a  recruiting  agent  for  Massachusetts  in  the  De 
partment  of  North-eastern  Virginia,  whose  headquarters  should 
be  at  Washington  ;  one  for  South-eastern  Virginia,  with  head 
quarters  at  or  near  Fortress  Monroe ;  one  for  North  Carolina, 
headquarters  at  Newbern  ;  one  for  South  Carolina  and  Florida, 
headquarters  at  Hilton  Head  ;  one  for  Mississippi,  Georgia,  and 
Alabama,  headquarters  at  Nashville,  Tenn.  These  agents  were 
to  be  styled  assistant  provost-marshals  of  Massachusetts  ;  they 
were  to  have  the  sole  charge  of  recruiting  men  in  their  several 
departments,  and  were  to  report  the  names  of  the  recruits 
to  Colonel  Day.  The  same  order  designated  Colonel  Charles 
R.  Codman  of  Boston,  Colonel  D.  Waldo  Lincoln  of  Worces 
ter,  Colonel  Charles  H.  Dalton  of  Boston,  Major  George  L. 
Stearns  of  Medford,  and  David  H.  Mason,  Esq.,  of  New 
ton,  as  commissioners  of  recruitment,  charged  with  the  duty 
of  promoting  and  securing  the  interests  and  rights  of  the 
cities,  wards,  and  towns,  in  obtaining,  apportioning,  and  credit 
ing  the  men  thus  recruited.  Joseph  Ricketson,  Esq.,  of  New 
Bedford,  was  appointed  secretary  of  this  board.  The  order  also 
provided,  that  any  gentleman  in  the  Commonwealth,  who  de 
posited  $125  in  the  State  treasury,  could  have  a  recruit  placed 
to  his  credit,  who  should  be  called  his  representative  recruit. 
It  also  provided  that  the  cities  and  towns  should  receive  credit 
for  a  recruit  for  every  $125  deposited  by  them  in  the  treasury 
of  the  Commonwealth. 

Under  this  arrangement,  a  large  number  of  gentlemen,  who 
were  exempt  by  law  from  military  service  on  account  of  age, 
and  also  a  number  of  patriotic  ladies,  placed  in  the  State  treas 
ury  the  sum  required,  and  had  representative  recruits  furnished. 
The  payment  of  the  money  was  a  mere  voluntary  act  on  their 


566  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

part,  and  served  only  to  show  their  deep  and  abiding  interest  in 
the  cause.  Among  the  distinguished  gentlemen  who  made  his 
deposit  of  money  was  Plon.  Edward  Everett.  We  find,  on  the 
files  of  the  Governor,  a  letter  addressed  by  him  to  Mr.  Ever 
ett,  dated  July  28,  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  beg  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  check  on  the  New  Eng 
land  Bank  for  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars,  with  which  to  pro 
cure  the  service  of  a  representative  recruit ;  and,  in  doing  so,  permit  me 
to  express  the  gratification  with  which  I  recognize  your  approval  of 
the  effort,  in  that  manner,  to  add  to  the  strength  of  the  army.  I  am 
informed,  that  it  is  intended,  by  certain  gentlemen  of  Boston,  to  or 
ganize  a  movement  for  obtaining  subscriptions  of  this  nature.  Among 
other  communications  on  the  subject,  I  this  morning  received  one  of 
much  interest  from  Dr.  Henry  I.  Bowditch,  who  proposed  to  lend  his  aid 
to  promote  such  an  effort  by  a  public  subscription-paper:  if  such  a 
paper  shall  be  framed  and  circulated  for  signature,  I  shall  venture  to 
assume  the  liberty  to  authorize  Dr.  Bowditch  to  present  it  for  your 
approval,  and  to  ask  the  influence  of  your  name  in  its  aid." 

On  the  day  when  General  Order  No.  27  was  issued  (July 
14),  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Major  Day,  Barnstable, — 

"  See  order,  assigning  you  to  duty  here,  in  to-morrow  morning's 
newspapers.  Please  report  personally  by  the  first  train." 

He  also  wrote,  on  the  same  day,  to  Colonel  Charles  R.  Cod- 
man,  — 

"  Cotuit  Port,  care  of  W.  F.  Jones,  Stage  Driver,  West  Barnstable 
Station  :  —  We  inclose  draft  of  an  order  which  will  appear  in  to-mor 
row  morning's  papers,  which  speaks  for  itself.  I  beg  you  to  consider 
yourself  conscripted  to  act  for  a  while  on  the  Board  of  Recruitment, 
and  shall  confidently  expect  to  see  you  by  arrival  of  the  train  to-mor 
row  forenoon.  I  conferred  with  Mr.  John  M.  Forbes,  who  sustained 
me  in  my  independence  in  assuming  the  authority  of  appointing  you 
without  previous  conference.  I  have,  in  the  same  manner,  conscripted 
other  gentlemen." 

To  Joseph  Ricketson,  Esq.,  of  New  Bedford,  on  the  same 
day,  he  telegraphed, — 

"  Please  report  yourself  to  me  at  State  House  to-morrow,  by  early 
train." 


RECRUITING    IN    REBEL    STATES.  567 

On  the  same  day,  he  telegraphed  to  Hon.  D.  Waldo  Lincoln, 
Mayor  of  Worcester,  — 

"  Will  you  oblige  me  by  coming  to  Boston  to-morrow  morning  ? 
See  General  Order  No.  27  in  the  morning  papers." 

Governor  Andrew  was  in  Washington  in  the  early  part  of 
July  ;  and  it  was  doubtless,  in  a  great  measure,  through  his  per 
sonal  efforts  that  the  act  of  July  4  was  passed.  On  the  6th  of 
July,  he  telegraphed  to  John  M.  Forbes  as  follows  :  — 

"  Secretary  of  War  has  accepted  my  proposition,  that  proper  agents 
appointed  by  Massachusetts  may  present  men  for  muster  at  various 
central  points  like  Washington,  Norfolk,  Newbern,  Hilton  Head, 
who  shall  be  mustered  into  any  regiments  of  the  State  or  United 
States,  as  the  case  may  be,  and  credited  to  Massachusetts.  Secretary 
promises  friendly  co-operation  in  executing  the  purpose  of  the  statute. 
He  will  only  refuse  to  muster  in  those  men  actually  being  employed 
by  his  officers  in  Government  service.  Orders  will  be  written  out  to 
morrow  conformably." 

We  have  already  stated  that  he  had  arranged  in  Washington 
with  Secretary  Stanton,  that  the  naval  credits  due  Massachusetts 
should  be  made  under  the  supervision  of  himself  and  ex-Gov 
ernor  John  H.  Clifford.  On  his  return  home,  the  Governor 
addressed  the  following  letter,  dated  July  11,  to  ex- Governor 
Clifford,  New  Bedford  :  - 

"  Among  the  purposes  of  my  visit  last  week  to  Washington,  happily 
accomplished,  was  the  adoption  of  a  method  ripened  into  a  convenient 
order  for  the  adjustment  of  the  naval  credits  due  to  Massachusetts  in 
compliance  with  a  plan  for  ascertaining  and  awarding  them,  which  I 
suggested  to  Mr.  Stanton  in  person.  The  naval  rendezvous  for  Massa 
chusetts  are  in  Boston  and  New  Bedford.  I  wish  to  have  a  voice  in 
the  matter  myself,  because  we  have  at  the  State  House  a  good  deal  of 
material  prepared  for  use  in  establishing  and  verifying  these  credits  ; 
and  I  thought  the  other  commissioner  ought  to  be  found  in  New  Bed 
ford.  I  therefore  suggested  your  name  to  Mr.  Stanton,  which  he  ac 
cepted  with  the  highest  satisfaction.  I  hope  you  will  not  decline  to 
'  lend  a  hand '  in  this  matter,  and  that  I  shall  hear  from  you  very  soon 
in  acceptance." 

The  adjustment  of  the  navy  credits  was  not  the  only  good 


568  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

and  just  act  which  Governor  Andrew  accomplished  during  his 
visit  to  Washington  at  this  time.  On  the  15th  of  July,  he 
wrote  to  Morris  L.  Hallowell,  Esq.,  Philadelphia,  father  of 
Colonel  Hallowell,  Fifty-fourth  (colored)  Massachusetts  Volun 
teers,  as  follows  :  — 

"  When  I  was  in  Washington  a  few  days  since,  I  obtained  the  pas 
sage  of  an  order,  that  paymasters  should  pay  the  colored  troops  the 
full  pay  of  soldiers,  secured  to  them  by  the  recent  act  of  Congress, 
from  Jan.  1,  18G4.  Thus  six  months  of  pay  will,  under  the  promised 
order,  be  made  at  one  time.  The  question  as  to  their  pay  previous  to 
Jan.  1,  18G4,  is  still  unsettled ;  although,  from  a  conversation  I  had 
with  the  Attorney- General,  I  think  we  shall  have  his  opinion  before 
long.  I  requested  him  to  give  an  opinion  at  that  time.  This  he  de 
clined  to  do,  on  the  ground  that  the  request  did  not  come  from  the 
President.  The  President  has,  however,  called  for  his  opinion,  which 
is  delayed  by  the  fact  that  the  assistant  Attorney-General  is  sick,  and  by 
other  pressing  employment  of  the  office.  But  the  Attorney-General 
intimated  that  his  decision  in  Chaplain  Harrison's  case,  and  his  opinion 
given  some  time  ago  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  relating  to  the 
citizenship  of  colored  men,  would  be  sufficient  to  determine  the  point. 
I  write  this  knowing  your  interest  in  the  cause,  and  thinking  that  you 
would  feel  gratified  that  thus  much  progress  had  been  made  in  obtain 
ing  justice  for  the  colored  troops ;  and  through  you  I  know  that  the 
facts  will  reach  Colonel  Hallowell,  even  if  he  has  left  Philadelphia." 

Colonel  Hallowell  had  been  stavino-  at  his  father's  home   foi 

•>       o 

some  weeks,  recovering  from  wounds  received  in  battle. 

On  the  18th  of  July,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Colonel  A.  G 
Browne,  Jr.,  military  secretary,  who  was  then  in  Washington, 
asking  him  to  call  at  the  office  of  the  Provost-Marshal-General 
to  have  immediate  measures  taken  to  have  the  men  enlisted  in 
rebel  States  mustered  into  the  service. 

"  From  my  last  advices  from  Washington,"  he  said,  "  I  learn  that 
there  is  a  delay  in  the  preparations,  and  that  the  camp  at  Washington 
is  not  ready  for  the  reception  of  recruits.  It  is  of  the  utmost  impor 
tance  that  the  machinery  should  be  in  perfect  running  order,  as  such  a 
delay  at  this  time  may  prove  fatal  to  all  our  efforts." 

He  then  notices  the  bitter  hostility  of  Major-General  Sher 
man  to  recruiting  agents  coming  into  his  army,  and  said,  - 


A   SCHEME    TO   INVADE    MAINE.  569 

"  By  appointing,  as  one  of  our  agents,  a  gentleman  who  resides  in 
the  vicinity  of  Sherman's  army,  who  is  well  known  about  there,  I  think 
that  the  matter  can  be  arranged  satisfactory,  and  that  he  will  raise  no 
further  objection  to  the  system.  I  do  not  apprehend  any  opposition 
from  the  commanders  of  any  other  of  our  armies." 

The  enlistments  made  in  rebel  States  by  the  Massachusetts 
agents  were  1,257  men,  who  were  credited  to  the  quota  of  the 
Commonwealth. 

On  the  18th  of  July,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  - 

"  I  trust  your  call  for  volunteers  will  be  for  two  hundred  thousand 
at  a  time,  repeating  the  calls  until  you  have  half  a  mi] lion  called  for. 
Calling  by  instalments  gives  needful  time  ;  meantime  the  present  cam 
paign  does  not  suffer,  since  no  new  draft  will  help  this  campaign.  I 
shall  send  five  regiments  of  hundred  days'  men,  beginning  with  two 
this  week." 

On  the  22d  of  July,  he  telegraphed  to  Major  Henry  Ware, 
assistant  military  secretary,  who  was  at  Washington,  — 

"  Suggest  to  Mr.  Stanton  the  propriety  of  an  order  limiting  the 
State  bounty  to  volunteers  in  rebel  States  to  some  maximum  sum,  — 
say,  three  hundred  dollars  ;  thus  preventing  injurious  competition.  I 
select  that  amount  as  being  national  bounty  likewise.  Telegraph  reply 
immediately." 

The  suggestion  here  made  was  wise  and  proper,  but  was  not 
acted  upon  by  the  Secretary,  as  he  regarded  it  impracticable  to 
be  put  in  execution.  The  competition  among  the  agents  of 
the  several  loyal  States  to  obtain  recruits,  by  one  overbidding 
the  other  in  the  payment  of  bounties,  was  a  source  of  much  re 
gret,  and  the  cause,  in  a  great  measure,  of  the  plan  not  suc 
ceeding  as  well  as  its  friends  expected. 

On  the  28th  of  July,  the  Governor  received  a  telegram  from 
Major-General  John  J.  Peck,  commanding  the  Department  of 
the  East,  headquarters  New- York  City,  stating  that  there  was 
danger  of  a  hostile  descent  upon  the  coast  of  Maine  from  the 
British  Provinces.  To  which  the  Governor  answered  on  the 
same  day,  — 

"  If,  officially  or  personally,  I  can  render  any  service  toward  avert 
ing  or  suppressing  any  such  danger,  I  beg  you  to  command  me.  I  have 


570  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

directed  my  senior  aide-de-camp,  Colonel  Harrison  Ritchie,  in  concert 
with  Major  Stephen  Cabot,  who  is  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort 
Warren,  to  consult  with  Admiral  Stringham,  commanding  at  the  Navy 
Yard  at  Charlestown,  and  co-operate  with  him  in  any  measures  he  may 
deem  expedient  in  this  connection ;  at  the  same  time  warning  all  the 
officers  commanding  the  forts  on  the  Massachusetts  coast." 

The  expectation  of  an  attack  upon  the  coast  of  Maine  was 
based  upon  information  contained  in  a  letter  to  President  Lin 
coln,  dated  Montreal,  July  15,  1864,  the  writer  of  which  was 
a  confidential  agent  of  the  Government.  It  was  referred 
by  the  President  to  Major-General  Peck,  and  was  in  these 
words  :  — 

"  Eighteen  or  twenty  rebel  officers  are  to  leave  to-night  for  New 
Brunswick,  via  Quebec.  I  have  learned,  from  a  most  reliable  source, 
that  a  concentration  of  rebels  and  their  sympathizers  is  to  take  place 
at  St.  Andrews  and  Grand  Menan  Island,  N.B.,  preparatory  to  an  at 
tack  upon  Belfast  or  Eastport  or  Calais,  as  the  prospect  of  success  may 
s-eem  most  favorable.  They  are  to  be  conveyed  to  the  place  of  attack 
by  a  rebel  steamer  and  brig.  The  men  who  leave  here  to-night  are 
under  command  of  a  Colonel  D.  Wood  and  Captain  Nichols,  late 
*  Missouri  guerillas,'  and  men  of  very  bad  fame.  The  Colonel  D. 
Wood  is  a  very  large-built  man.  He  has  had  a  complete  outfit  made 
here  for  this  special  occasion.  Each  of  the  men  are  armed  with  rifles 
and  revolvers  purchased  here." 

This  expedition,  whatever  may  have  been  its  purpose  or  its 
strength,  failed  ;  nothing  more  was  ever  heard  of  it. 

Among  the  presents  which  the  Governor  received  from  our 
officers  at  the  front  was  a  green  turtle,  weighing  352  Ibs. 
It  was  sent  from  Florida,  by  Major  D.  B.  Keith,  of  the  Fourth 
Massachusetts  Cavalry.  The  Governor  was  absent  from  the 
State  when  it  arrived.  The  box  containing  it  was  placed  in  the 
basement  of  the  State  House,  where,  after  a  consultation  be 
tween  the  principal  officers  of  the  State  Government  as  to  how 
long  it  would  live  without  eating,  the  creature  was  put  under  a 
Cochituate  water-spout,  and  turned  upon  its  back.  It  died 
before  the  Governor  returned.  In  a  letter,  dated  July  29,  the 
Governor  wrote  to  Major  Keith,  in  which  he  said,  — 

"  When  I  reached  the  State  House,  life  was  wholly  extinct.     Feel- 


BRIGADIER-GENEBAI,   BAKTLETT  571 

ing  sure  that  you  would  approve  of  such  a  disposal  of  the  remains, 
I  delivered  them  to  Professor  Agassiz,  consoled  by  the  reflection, 
that,  although  no  longer  available  for  soup,  they  would  nevertheless 
promote  the  advancement  of  science." 

In  the  battle  before  Petersburg,  July  30,  among  the  prison 
ers  taken  was  Brigadier-General  Bartlett,  formerly  colonel  of 
the  Forty-ninth  and  Fifty-seventh  Massachusetts  Regiments. 
His  father,  Charles  L.  Bartlett,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  was  anxious 
to  have  his  son  exchanged,  and  for  that  purpose  visited  Wash 
ington,  taking  with  him  a  letter,  dated  Aug.  9,  from  Governor 
Andrew  to  Major-General  Hitchcock,  who  was  Commissary- 
General  of  Prisoners.  In  this  letter,  the  Governor  thus  speaks 
of  General  Bartlett :  — 

"  He  is  in  feeble  health  ;  lost  a  leg  at  Yorktown  ;  was  shot  in  three 
places  at  Port  Hudson,  disabling  an  arm,  and  had  just  joined  his 
brigade,  after  receiving  a  severe  wound  in  the  head  at  the  battle  of 
the  Wilderness,  when  he  was  ordered  to  the  assault  at  Petersburg. 
His  lameness,  and  his  yet-unhealed  wound  received  in  May,  render  him 
a  person  peculiarly  susceptible  to  the  rough  treatment  inflicted  by  the 
rebels  on  our  prisoners  ;  and  I  think  his  case  one  fairly  to  be  regarded  as 
exceptional,  and  as  worthy  of  a  special  proposition  for  an  exchange. 
Mr.  Bartlett  will  tell  you  of  his  proposition  to  arrange  for  an  exchange 
between  his  son  and  the  rebel  General  Trimble,  who  has  also  lost  a 
leg.  If  this  can  be  done,  it  will  be  a  matter  of  sincere  gratification." 

An  exchange  was  effected  ;  and  this  gallant  young  officer  re 
joined  his  command,  and  had  the  gratification  of  seeing  the 
Rebellion  brought  to  a  successful  end,  and  to  know  that  his  long 
and  gallant  services  and  sufferings  had  not  been  in  vain. 

O  O 

On  the  llth  of  August,  the  Governor  wrote  a  long  letter  to 
Governor  Horatio  Seymour,  of  New  York,  asking  him  to 
consider  whether  it  would  not  be  of  some  possible  public  ad 
vantage  — 

"  If  we  two  should  attempt  to  form  a  more  personal  acquaintance, 
and  consider  some  aspects  of  public  affairs  in  a  frank  and  confidential 
conversation.  ...  I  feel  that  it  would  be  very  becoming  in  us  to  meet, 
and  to  consider  in  a  perfectly  friendly  way,  and  in  the  confidence  of 
gentlemen,  whether  we  might  not  unite  to  strengthen  the  arms  of  our 
national  power,  and  thus  help  to  'conquer  a  peace'  by  the  use  of 


572  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

means  fitted  to  increase  the  glow  of  the  general  hopefulness,  warm  and 
invigorate  the  patriotism  of  the  people,  and  thus  avoid  many  of  the 
evils  which  naturally  flow  from  a  merely  mechanical  and  legal  enforce 
ment  of  duty,  and  from  that  sadness  of  heart  which  usually  settles  on 
a  people  after  long  experience  of  war." 

Governor  Andrew  proposed  to  meet  Governor  Seymour  in 
New-York  City  at  such  time  and  place  as  he  might  select,  and 
suggested  Friday  or  Saturday  of  the  ensuing  week.  Whether 
the  interview  ever  took  place  or  not,  we  are  unable  to  say,  as 
we  do  not  find  any  further  reference  to  the  subject  on  the  files 
of  the  Governor. 

On  the  15th  of  August,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  Secretary 
of  War  the  following  letter  :  — 

"  I  had  the  honor,  when  in  Washington,  the  first  week  in  July,  to 
call  your  attention  to  the  cases  of  several  officers  of  the  Thirty-sixth 
U.S.C.  troops,  who  were  degraded  by  General  Orders  No.  46  from 
General  Butler's  headquarters  in  April  last,  which  act  of  degradation 
has  been  declared  by  the  Judge- Advocate- General  of  the  army  (Holt), 
on  proper  reference  to  that  officer,  to  be  utterly  without  warrant  of 
law.  I  believe  also,  that  the  order  was  hasty  and  ill-advised,  even 
though  it  had  been  legally  competent.  The  particular  individuals  for 
whose  rights  and  welfare  I  intervened  had  long  been  faithful  and 
meritorious  soldiers  of  the  Twenty-fifth  Massachusetts,  who  had 
earned  in  the  field  the  recommendation  of  their  field  officers  to 
promotion,  and  they  had  all  secured  the  reputation  of  bravery  and 
fidelity. 

"  Y^ou  remarked  to  me  in  July,  that,  while  you  were  unwilling  to 
reverse  General  Butler's  orders,  and  send  back  these  officers  to  their 
regiment,  you  would,  on  my  recommendation,  restore  them  to  their 
rank  as  commissioned  officers,  and  assign  them  to  regiments  outside  of 
General  Butler's  department. 

"  I  have  accordingly  revised  my  inquiries,  in  order  that  I  might  not 
carelessly  use  the  confidence  reposed  in  me,  and  do  therefore  make 
the  following  recommendations ;  viz.,  that  Captains  George  B.  Proctor 
and  George  Y^.  Allen,  and  First-Lieutenants  George  L.  Seagrave, 
Allen  Parker,  Edward  Townsend,  and  Leonard  Y.  Gaskell,  be  liber 
ated  from  their  present  unlawful  confinement  and  duress,  that  their 
swords  be  returned  to  them,  and  that  they  be  assigned  to  duty 
or  recommissioned  as  the  dates  of  their  original  commissions  re 
spectively. 


PORTRAIT   OF   ATTORNEY-GENERAL   LINCOLN.  573 

"  These  gentlemen,  I  am  informed,  are  held  as  prisoners,  in  the  as 
sumed  capacity  as  privates,  in  assumed  contempt  of  military  authority, 
and  duly  committed,  by  the  mere  fact  of  declining  to  return  to  duty  as 
privates  in  the  Twenty-fifth  Massachusetts  volunteers  (from  which 
regiment  they  were  once  formally  and  lawfully  mustered  out,  to  accept 
commissions),  and  of  demanding  their  rights  as  officers,  including  the 
right  to  be  duly  heard.  Such  being  their  condition,  I  pray  that  action 
may  be  had  immediately ;  and  I  would  add  that  I  am  advised  that 
what  these  officers  personally  and  really  desire  is  a  proper  military  in 
vestigation  or  trial,  to  be  followed  by  such  vindication  or  punishment 
as  to  law  and  justice  may  appertain." 

We  will  only  add,  that  these  gentlemen  were  restored  to  their 
commands,  and  rank  of  officers. 

On  the  13th  of  August,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Hon.  Edward 
Bates,  Attorney-General  of  the  United  States,  in  which  he  re 
fers  to  the  portraits  of  the  Attorney-Generals  of  the  United 
States  in  his  department,  and  adds  that  he  noticed,  when  he  was 
there  the  last  time,  that  there  was  no  portrait  of  Levi  Lincoln, 
of  Massachusetts,  who  was  Attorney-General  under  Jefferson. 
He  said, — 

"  Believing  that  there  was  a  good  portrait  of  him  in  the  family  of 
his  son,  the  venerable  Levi  Lincoln,  still  living,  who  was  for  so  many 
years  the  Governor  of  this  Commonwealth,  I  made  inquiry  on  the  sub 
ject,  and  through  D.  Waldo  Lincoln,  Esq.,  now  Mayor  of  the  city  of 
Worcester,  the  eldest  son  of  ex- Governor  Lincoln,  I  have  received  a 
photograph  of  it,  which  I  inclose." 

Governor  Andrew  then  inquires  whether  there  is  any  fund 
under  the  control  of  the  Attorney-General,  from  which  to  defray 
the  expense  of  a  copy  for  the  Attorney-General's  rooms.  He 
concludes,  — 

"  I  do  this  from  a  most  earnest  respect  for  the  eminent  character  of 
Attorney-General  Lincoln,  as  well  as  from  that  just  pride  of  locality 
which  makes  me  wish  that  such  a  memorial  of  so  distinguished  a  citi 
zen  of  Massachusetts  should  not  be  omitted  from  a  collection  of 
portraits  in  the  department  which  he  once  honored.  If  no  such  fund 
is  available,  I  will  endeavor,  if  you  desire,  to  cause  a  copy  of  the  por 
trait  to  be  made  at  private  expense,  and  to  be  presented  to  your  office." 

A  copy  was  made  by  Mr.  James  S.  Lincoln,  of  Providence, 


574  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

R.I.  ;  the  Attorney-General  assumed  the  expense,  there  being 
a  contingent  fund  available  for  the  purpose. 

Andrew  Ellison,  Jr.,  Esq.,  of  Rio  de  Janeiro,  on  the  8th  of 
July,  wrote  to  Governor  Andrew,  inclosing  a  draft  for  five 
hundred  dollars  on  Wright,  Maxwell,  &  Co.,  of  New 
York ;  the  proceeds  to  be  applied  for  the  relief  of  soldiers  in 
the  army,  according  as  Governor  Andrew  should  think  proper. 
This  donation  was  made  in  the  names  of  the  four  minor  sons  of 
Mr.  Ellison. 

On  the  18th  of  August,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Mr.  Ellison, 
acknowledging  the  receipt  of  the  letter  and  the  draft,  and 
said,  — 

"  I  have  directed  this  amount  to  be  divided  equally  between  Colonel 
Frank  E.  Howe,  the  military  State  agent  of  Massachusetts,  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Gardiner  Tufts,  our  agent 
in  Washington,  whose  especial  duty  it  is  to  provide  for  the  wants  and 
comforts  of  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  ;  gentlemen  acting  under  my 
immediate  supervision,  and  who,  I  know,  will  expend  this  sum  in  a 
manner  that  will  be  approved  by  the  generous  young  donors.  I  beg 
leave  to  return  to  them,  through  you,  my  most  cordial  and  sincere  ac 
knowledgment  of  this  token  of  their  patriotic  attachment  to  the  land 
of  their  father." 

Colonel  N.  A.  M.  Dudley,  commanding  the  Thirty-first  Mas 
sachusetts  Regiment  in  Louisiana,  wrote  to  the  Governor,  pro 
posing  to  raise  and  organize  a  brigade  of  colored  troops  in  that 
department.  The  proposition  was  favorably  regarded  by  the 
Governor,  who  wrote  to  Secretary  Stanton,  requesting  permis 
sion  to  be  given  ;  the  troops  to  be  officered  by  intelligent  colored 
men,  Colonel  Dudley  himself  to  be  the  only  white  officer  con 
cerned  with  the  military  command  in  the  whole  brigade. 

"  I  wish,"  said  the  Governor,  "  that  the  experiment  could  be  tried, 
subject  to  Major-General  Canby's  approval  of  it,  and  that  Colonel 
Dudley  could  be  assigned  to  attempt  it,  with  an  understanding  that  he 
should  have  a  commission  as  brigadier,  and  the  command  of  the  bri 
gade,  if  he  should  succeed  ;  but  not,  if  he  should  fail  in  conducting 
such  a  recruitment  successfully.  He  would  rely  greatly  for  success, 
upon  officers  of  such  troops,  with  men  of  their  own  color.  ...  In  certain 
respects,  I  think  Colonel  Dudley  possesses  peculiar  qualifications  for 
such  an  attempt :  he  is  an  officer  of  the  regular  army  ;  he  is  well  ac- 


A   MEETING    OF   LOYAL    GOVERNORS.  575 

quainted  with  the  country,  and  with  the  people  with  whom  he  would 
have  to  deal ;  and  he  is  an  active,  ambitious  man." 

The  Governor  expresses  the  belief  that  there  were  colored 
men  in  that  department  qualified  to  be  officers,  and  concludes 
by  saying,  — 

"  I  earnestly  hope  you  will  give  Colonel  Dudley,  of  whose  zeal  and 
capacity  I  ain  confident,  an  opportunity  to  develop  it." 

Several  letters  passed  between  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the 
Governor  upon  this  matter  ;  but  the  experiment  was  never  tried. 
Colonel  Dudley  we  had  known  many  years  ;  he  was  born  and  bred 
in  Boston,  had  a  natural  taste  for  military  duties,  and,  although 
not  a  graduate  of  West  Point,  was,  for  his  military  qualities, 
appointed  an  officer  in  the  regular  army.  He  is  a  gentleman  of 
much  capacity,  for  whom  we  have  a  high  respect.  We  have 
referred  to  him  in  preceding  chapters.  At  the  present 
writing,  he  is  in  command  of  the  military  forces  at  Vicksburg, 
Miss. 

This  was  a  year  in  which  an  election  was  to  be  held  for  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States. 

On  the  7th  of  September,  the  Governor  wrote  to  His  Excel 
lency  Richard  Yates,  Governor  of  Illinois,  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  propose  to  visit  Washington,  arriving  there  by  next  Tuesday 
morning,  spending  a  day  or  two  in  New  York,  on  the  way,  in  order  to 
have  some  conversation  with  the  President  on  the  present  attitude  of 
our  public  affairs.  I  wish  it  might  be  possible,  that  you,  and  Gov 
ernor  Brough,  of  Ohio,  and  Governor  Morton,  of  Indiana,  and  any 
other  of  the  Western  Governors,  might  be  present.  And  I  take  the 
liberty  of  writing  this  note,  in  the  hope  that  we  may  meet  there.  It 
seems  to  me  of  the  first  importance  that  the  President  should  be  res 
cued  from  the  influences  which  threaten  him;  of  those  who  for  the 
want  of  political  and  moral  courage,  or  for  want  of  either  faith  or 
forecast,  or  of  appreciation  of  the  real  quality  of  the  public  patriotism, 
are  tempting  and  pushing  him  to  an  unworthy  and  disgraceful  offer  of 
compromise  with  the  leaders  of  the  Rebellion.  I  want  the  President 
now  to  take  hold  of  his  occasion,  and  really  lead,  as  he  might,  the 
country,  by  exhibiting,  in  the  person  of  the  man  who  wields  its 
highest  powers,  u  genuine  representative  of  democratic  instincts  and 
principles.  The  Chicago  Convention  has  opened  the  way  for  patriots 


576  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    KEBELLION. 

to  take  higher  and  clearer  ground  than  ever.  It  is  not  every  man  who 
recognizes  « the  day  of  his  visitation,'  nor  is  it  every  people  or  party. 
At  the  moment  we  have  ours,  we  should  rise  to  fresh  courage,  as  we 
see  the  audacity  of  domestic  Northern  treason,  bristling  its  accursed 
crest.  Now  is  the  very  day  to  make  a  loftier  appeal  than  ever  to  the 
American  people,  and  to  get  a  prouder  response.  In  the  spirit  of  the 
national  instinct  of  the  idea  of  democracy,  of  popular  liberty,  I  would 
spurn  the  bare  suggestion  of  ceasing  hostilities  now,  and  the  very 
thought  of  dealing  with  the  rebel  chiefs  with  peace ;  but  I  would  seize 
the  occasion  for  an  appeal  to  all  the  people,  both  South  and  North, 
against  the  assassins  of  liberty,  and  the  enemies  of  this  our  Govern 
ment.  Thus  may  we  carry  the  elections  in  the  North,  and  ultimately 
reach  the  misguided  and  oppressed,  the  real  democracy  of  the 
South." 

There  is  nothing  on  the  Governor's  files  to  show  that  the 
meeting  of  the  Governors  was  ever  held. 

On  the  21st  of  September,  the  Governor  received  a  letter 
from  Otis  Newhall,  of  Lynn,  asking  for  the  discharge  of  his  son, 
James  O.  Newhall,  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment,  who  had  been 
wounded  in  the  battle  of  Spottsylvania,  sent  to  the  United- 
States  General  Hospital  at  Readville,  and,  on  recovering 
from  his  wounds,  had  again  gone  to  the  front.  In  the  mean 
while,  the  Eleventh  Regiment's  original  term  of  service  had 
expired,  and  the  men  who  did  not  re-enlist  had  returned  home, 
and  been  discharged.  Mr.  Newhall  gives  the  following  reasons 
for  asking  the  discharge  of  his  son.  He  had  enlisted  in  De 
cember,  1861,  as  a  recruit  for  the  Eleventh  Massachusetts,  ex 
pecting  to  be  mustered  out  with  the  regiment,  which  expectation 
was  not  realized. 

"  From  the  time  he  was  mustered  into  service  until  he  was  wounded 
at  Spottsylvania,  he  was  never  absent  from  duty,  never  having  spent 
an  hour  in  hospital,  but  was,  as  I  am  informed  by  his  captain,  a  good 
soldier  throughout ;  taking  part  in  most  of  the  battles  in  which  that 
grand  old  regiment  was  engaged.  He  is  one  of  my  five  sons  that  went 
to  sustain  the  honor  of  their  country  in  the  early  part  of  the  Rebellion  ; 
and  I  cannot  but  take  pride  in  referring  to  them  as  having  performed 
their  duty  nobly  and  well.  Two  of  them  remain  at  the  front ;  one  was 
lost  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run ;  one  other  was  taken  prisoner, 
after  being  wounded,  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness  in  May  last,  and 


REMARKABLE    CASES    OF   PATRIOTISM.  577 

is  now  somewhere  among  the  rebels.  The  other  is  the  one  referred  to. 
None  of  them,  excepting  the  latter,  have  been  at  home  during  their 
entire  period  of  service.  And  now,  Governor,  I  write  to  ask  from  you 
a  word  of  recommendation  to  the  proper  authorities  for  his  discharge. 
I  refer  your  Excellency  to  Adjutant-General  Schouler  and  Hon.  E.  S. 
Davis,  at  the  State  House,  to  whom  I  am  personally  known." 

Indorsed  on  the  back  of  this  remarkable  letter,  in  the  Gov 
ernor's  own  handwriting,  were  these  words  :  — 

"  Will  the  Adjutant-General  please  report  whether,  by  the  rule 
adopted  by  the  War  Office,  this  man  comes  within  the  category  of  those 
entitled  to  discharge  under  our  order  No.  28,  1862." 

On  the  24th  of  September,  the  Adjutant-General  made  the 
following  report  to  the  Governor  :  — 

"  In  answer  to  your  Excellency's  inquiries,  I  have  the  honor  to  re 
port,  that  the  case  of  James  O.  Newhall  does  not  come  within  the  rule 
adopted  by  the  War  Department  in  regard  to  General  Order  No.  28, 
1862.  Only  recruits  who  went  into  old  regiments  between  the  21st 
of  July  and  31st  of  December,  1862,  are  entitled  to  be  mustered  out 
when  the  terms  of  service  of  their  regiments  expire. 

"  The  statements  made  by  Mr.  Newhall  I  know  to  be  true.  He 
had  five  sons  in  the  army,  and  they  have  been  good  soldiers.  I  think, 
therefore,  that  he  presents  a  strong  claim  for  a  favorable  consideration 
of  his  application.  Perhaps  the  Secretary  of  War  would  order  the 
young  man's  discharge,  if  he  knew  he  was  one  of  five  brothers  who 
have  served  faithfully  almost  from  the  beginning  of  the  Rebellion. 
Pardon  me  if  I  add  a  word  in  regard  to  a  still  more  remarkable  case 
than  the  one  presented  by  Mr.  Newhall.  Your  Excellency  may  re 
member  that  I  had  the  honor  two  years  ago  to  speak  to  you  of  a  widow 
lady,  Mrs.  Bixby,  in  the  middle  walks  of  life,  who  had  five  sons  in  the 
Union  army,  one  of  whom  was  wounded  at  Antietam,  and  was  sent  to 
a  hospital  in  Baltimore  or  Washington.  She  was  very  anxious  to  go 
and  see  him,  and  your  Excellency  was  kind  enough  to  draw  your  check 
for  forty  dollars  ($40)  to  pay  her  expenses  ;  and  she  made  her  jour 
ney.  The  boy  recovered,  and  joined  his  regiment  again.  About  ten 
days  ago,  Mrs.  Bixby  came  to  my  office,  and  showed  me  five  letters 
from  five  different  company  commanders,  and  each  letter  informed  the 
poor  woman  of  the  death  of  one  of  her  sons.  Her  last  remaining  son 
was  recently  killed  in  the  fight  on  the  Weldon  Railroad.  Mrs.  Bixby 
is  the  best  specimen  of  a  true-hearted  Union  woman  I  have  yet  seen. 

37 


578  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

She  lives  now  at  No.  15  Dover-street  Place.     Each  of  her  sons,  by 
his  good  conduct,  had  been  made  a  sergeant." 

The  letter  of  Mr.  Newhall  and  the  report  of  the  Adjutant- 
General  were  sent  by  the  Governor  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
with  this  indorsement  on  the  back  of  one  of  them  :  — 

"  I  send  these  copies  :  1st,  The  letter  of  Mr.  Otis  Newhall,  of  Lynn, 
Mass.,  father  of  five  sons,  all  of  whom  entered  the  Union  army,  —  one 
of  whom  was  killed,  one  of  whom  is  a  prisoner  held  by  the  rebels, 
two  of  whom  are  at  the  front,  —  asking  the  discharge  of  the  fifth  son, 
who  has  once  been  wounded.  Under  the  circumstances,  I  think  that  an 
exercise  of  the  power  to  discharge  at  discretion  would  do  good,  and  be 
a  grateful  recognition  of  the  claims  of  a  patriotic  family.  2d,  A  re 
port  to  me  by  the  Adjutant- General  of  Massachusetts  on  this  case,  in 
which  he  mentions  the  case  of  a  widow,  Mrs.  Bixby,  who  sent  five 
sons,  all  of  whom  have  recently  been  killed.  This  is  a  case  so  remark 
able,  that  I  really  wish  a  letter  might  be  written  her  by  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  taking  notice  of  a  noble  mother  of  five  dead 
heroes  so  well  deserved." 

We  will  only  add  that  the  son  of  Mr.  Newhall  was  discharged, 
and  that  President  Lincoln  wrote  Mrs.  Bixby  a  letter  full  of 
sympathy  and  deep  feeling,  which  we  had  the  pleasure  of  pla 
cing  in  her  hands. 

On  the  10th  of  October,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  President 
that  the  newspapers  announced  that  Private  Alfred  C.  Lawrence, 
Sixteenth  Massachusetts  Infantry,  had  been  sentenced  to  be 
hanged  for  desertion,  and  that  General  Meade  had  approved  the 
sentence.  The  Governor  writes,  — 

"  This  man's  family  has  long  been  in  pursuit  of  him,  and  get  first  in 
telligence  of  him  as  above.  They  assure  me  that  he  is  partially  insane, 
having  always  been  of  that  tendency,  and  formerly  in  the  Worcester 
Insane  Hospital.  I  pray  you  delay  execution  to  permit  investigation 
and  new  evidence." 

This  young  man's  relatives  lived  in  Charlestown  ;  and  it  ap 
pears  by  the  following  letter  to  them  by  the  Governor,  dated 
Nov.  2,  that  he  was  pardoned  :  — 

"  I  have  the  pleasure  to  forward  to  you  the  inclosed  copy  of  Special 
Order  No.  373  of  the  War  Department,  announcing  the  pardon,  by  the 


GREAT   SPEECH    OF   EDWARD    EVERETT.  579 

President,  of  Private  Alfred  C.  Lawrence,  and  beg  leave  to  congratu 
late  you  upon  the  successful  issue  of  your  application." 

On  the  1st  of  November,  the  United-States  consul  at  Hali 
fax  wrote  to  Secretary  Seward,  that  it  was  secretly  asserted  by 
secessionists  at  that  place,  that  plans  had  been  formed,  and 
would  be  carried  into  execution,  by  rebels  and  their  allies,  to 
set  fire  to  the  principal  cities  in  the  Northern  States  on  the 
day  of  the  presidential  election,  which  was  near  at  hand. 
Upon  the  receipt  of  this  information,  Secretary  Seward  wrote 
to  the  Governor,  inclosing  him  a  copy  of  the  letter  which  he 
had  received,  which  the  Governor  communicated  to  the  mayors 
of  the  several  cities  of  the  Commonwealth,  of  which  the  follow 
ing  is  a  transcript :  — 

"  In  view  of  the  information  suggested  in  the  telegram  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  State  of  the  United  States,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy, 
I  would  very  respectfully  but  urgently  advise  the  utmost  care,  and  the 
precaution  of  additional  watchfulness  and  safeguard  against  fire  ;  not 
only  on  election  day,  but  also  during  the  approaching  winter.  I  do 
not  doubt  the  importance  of  such  measures,  nor  the  existence  of  dan 
gers  which  render  them  needful." 

We  are  not  aware  that  the  plan  of  the  incendiaries,  if  seri 
ously  entertained  was  ever  carried  into  effect  in  New  Eng 
land,  although  there  were  abortive  attempts  to  destroy  the  city 
of  New  York. 

On  the  19th  of  October,  Edward  Everett,  in  Faneuil  Hall, 
made  one  of  his  most  brilliant  Union  speeches,  which  was  pub 
lished  in  pamphlet  form  :  a  copy  of  which  Mr.  Everett  sent  to 
Governor  Andrew,  who,  on  the  5th  of  November,  acknowl 
edged  its  receipt  in  a  letter  from  which  we  make  the  follow 
ing  extract :  — 

"  It  might  hardly  seem  becoming  in  me  to  attempt  to  declare  how 
deeply  I  feel  the  weight  and  value  of  the  repeated  contributions  of 
your  voice  and  pen,  during  the  present  struggle,  for  the  instruction  and 
encouragement  of  the  people.  I  may  be  allowed,  perhaps,  to  confess 
how  much  in  my  own  hours  of  care  they  have  contributed  to  alleviate 
anxiety,  and  inspire  hope,  and  increase  the  profound  respect  with 
which  I  am  your  obliged  friend  and  obedient  servant." 

One  of  the  most  brilliant  naval  engagements  of  the  war  was 


580  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

the  destruction  of  the  pirate  "Alabama,"  by  the  "Kearsarge," 
near  Cherbourg,  France.  The  commander  of  the  "Kearsarge" 
was  John  A.  Winslow,  U.S.N.,  a  citizen  of  Roxbury,  Mass. 
The  "  Kearsarge  "  returned  to  Boston  shortly  after  the  engage 
ment,  and  the  ship,  officers,  and  crew  received  a  hearty  wel 
come.  The  authorities  of  the  city  of  Boston  extended  a  public 
reception  to  Commander  Winslow,  the  officers,  and  crew  of  the 
ship  ;  and  Governor  Andrew  caused  the  Adjutant-General  to 
issue  a  general  order,  from  which  we  make  the  following  ex 
tract  :  — 

"  The  Commonwealth  also  desires  to  express  its  admiration  of  the 
conspicuous  gallantry  of  this  distinguished  citizen  of  Massachusetts, 
and  his  brave  companions  ;  and  its  gratitude  for  the  result  of  the 
brilliant  exploit  which  recalls  the  deeds  of  our  naval  heroes  now 
canonized  in  history,  and  has  rendered  the  name  of  the  '  Kearsarge  '  as 
precious  to  the  memory  of  every  American  patriot  as  those  of  the 
*  Constitution,'  arid  the  '  United  States'  It  is  therefore  ordered,  that  a 
national  salute  of  thirteen  guns  be  fired  upon  the  Common  in  honor 
of  Commander  Winslow,  his  officers,  and  men,  as  they  pass  with 
their  escort.  Captain  Lucius  Cummings,  commanding  First  Battery 
of  Light  Artillery,  M.V.M.,  is  charged  with  the  execution  of  this 
order." 

The  merchants  of  Boston  also  gave  Commander  Winslow, 
and  the  other  officers  of  the  "  Kearsarge,"  a  public  dinner,  to 
which  Governor  Andrew  was  invited,  but  was  prevented  from 
attending  by  pressing  official  duties. 

On  the  14th  of  November,  the  Governor  wrote  to  George  B. 
Upton,  of  Boston,  informing  him  of  his  inability  to  attend  the 
dinner,  saying,  — 

"  I  regret  very  much  that  I  am  unable  to  accept  the  invitation  ; 
not  alone  on  account  of  the  personal  pleasure  I  should  take  in  unit 
ing  in  any  such  testimonial  of  regard  for  Captain  Winslow,  but  also, 
and  especially,  on  account  of  my  cordial  sympathy  with  the  significance 
of  the  occasion  of  celebrating  one  of  the  most  satisfactory  triumphs 
of  our  flag." 

On  the  19th  of  November,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Assistant- 
Secretary  Harrington,  that  there  was  an  application  somewhere 
on  file  in  the  Treasury  Department  for  the  appointment  of 


GENEKOUS    CONTRIBUTIONS    TO    OUR    SOLDIERS.  581 

Michael  Healey  as  a  third  lieutenant  in  the  revenue  service ;  and 
that,  if  he  would  cause  it  to  be  hunted  up,  and  would  advise  him 
whether  it  was  likely  to  be  acted  on  favorably,  and,  if  so,  when, 
he  would  be  much  obliged.  The  Governor  said,  — 

"  I  do  not  know  Healey  myself,  but  I  am  well  acquainted  with  his 
brother,  the  Rev.  James  A.  Healey,  the  secretary  of  Bishop  Fitz- 
patrick  of  this  diocese  ;  aud  if  one  can  argue  from  the  qualities  of  a 
clergyman  to  those  of  a  sailor,  and  the  two  brothers  are  alike,  I  should 
say  that  you  would  have  few  brighter  and  more  capable  young  officers 
in  your  revenue  marine  than  Healey,  if  you  shall  appoint  him." 

On  the  22d  of  November,  the  Governor  wrote  to  S.  B. 
Stebbins,  of  Boston,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  his  check  for 
twelve  hundred  and  fifty-six  dollars,  payable  to  the  Governor's 
order,  as  the  amount  of  collections  and  contributions  made  at 
the  Music  Hall,  the  Friday  preceding,  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Massachusetts  soldiers'  relief  agencies  at  Washington  and  else 
where.  The  Governor  said,  — 

"  I  take  pleasure,  in  behalf  of  those  agencies,  in  expressing  gratitude 
for  this  contribution,  and  my  sense  of  the  practical  benefit  which  will 
result  from  it.  I  know  no  better  medium  than  these  agencies 
through  which  such  contributions  will  come  more  directly  and  effi 
ciently  to  the  comfort  of  our  soldiers  ;  and  I  will  take  immediate 
measures,  upon  consultation  with  Surgeon- General  Dale  and  the 
chiefs  of  the  various  agencies,  for  the  distribution  of  this  sum  among 
them." 

In  addition  to  the  money  raised  at  the  Music  Hall,  it  appears 
that  a  large  sum  was  also  contributed  by  the  Republican  com 
mittee  of  Boston,  assisted  by  Mayor  Lincoln,  to  furnish 
Thanksgiving  dinners  to  Massachusetts  soldiers  in  camp  and 
in  hospitals.  We  find  on  the  files  of  the  Governor  a  letter 
addressed  to  him  by  Mr.  Stebbins,  dated  "Boston,  Thanks 
giving  morning,  Nov.  24,  1864,"  giving  a  detailed  and  inter 
esting  statement  of  the  manner  in  which  this  fund  was  ex 
pended.  Five  hundred  dollars  were  given  to  Colonel  Frank  E. 
Howe,  to  provide  dinners  to  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in 
hospitals  in  and  near  New  York,  and  at  his  agency  ;  to  Colonel 
Robert  R.  Corson,  Massachusetts  State  agent  at  Philadelphia, 
for  the  five  hundred  sick  and  wounded  Massachusetts  soldiers  in 


582  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

the  hospitals  in  that  city,  three  hundred  dollars;  to  William 
Robinson,  Massachusetts  agent  at  Baltimore,  for  the  one  hun 
dred  and  forty  sick  and  wounded  Massachusetts  soldiers  in  hos 
pitals  in  that  city,  one  hundred  dollars  ;  to  United-States  Sur 
geon  Vanderkift,  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  for  the  one  hundred  and 
fifty  sick  and  wounded  Massachusetts  soldiers  at  that  place,  one 
hundred  dollars ;  and  to  Surgeon  Hagar,  at  Point  Lookout, 
Md.,  for  the  same  purpose,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dol 
lars.  Three  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  poultry  was  also  sent  to 
the  camp  at  Readville,  and  the  same  amount  to  Gallop's  Island. 
Two  hundred  dollars'  worth  was  sent  to  Fort  Warren  ;  one  hun 
dred  dollars'  worth  was  sent  to  Fort  Independence  ;  five  hundred 
dollars'  worth  was  sent  to  the  United-States  sailors  at  the  Navy 
Yard  at  Charlestown ;  "  besides  Thanksgiving  supplies  and 
money  for  the  soldiers  in  barracks  on  Beach  Street,  and  the 
Discharged  Soldiers'  Home  on  Springfield  Street."  Mr.  Steb- 
bins  concludes  his  letter  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  send  these  items  to  your  Excellency,  believing  they  will  be  of 
value  as  part  of  the  military  history  of  this  State  for  the  present  year, 
as  well  as  showing  the  patriotic  liberality  of  our  citizens.  It  is  proper 
to  add,  that  the  contributions  so  generously  bestowed  are  the  gifts  of  no 
political  party,  but  of  the  people,  who  testify,  by  their  grateful  offer 
ings,  to  the  services  of  our  heroic  soldiers  and  sailors." 

On  the  2d  of  December,  the  Governor  received  a  letter  from 
Otis  D.  Swann,  Esq.,  secretary  of  the  Union  League  Club  in 
New- York  City,  inviting  him  to  address  the  club  at  some  con 
venient  period  during  the  month,  which  the  Governor  was 
forced  to  decline,  on  account  of  the  official  duties  which  then 
pressed  upon  him  ;  besides,  if  it  were  possible  for  him  to  visit 
New  York  during  the  month  of  December,  he  was  under  obli 
gations,  having  been  honored  with  frequent  invitations,  to 
speak  at  the  anniversary  of  the  New-England  Society,  on  the 
22d  of  December.  In  the  course  of  the  letter,  the  Governor 
said,  — 

"  I  congratulate  the  gentlemen  whom  you  represent,  on  the  auspi 
cious  aspect  witli  which  the  year  seems  about  to  open.  Should  our  mili 
tary  situation  continue  to  be  as  encouraging  as  it  has  recently  been,  I 


A    COLORED    COMMISSIONED    OFFICER.  583 

am  sure  that,  with  the  blessing  of  Providence,  we  have  a  right  to  hope 
for  the  best  results,  not  merely  on  any  given  field  or  from  any  special 
campaign,  but  on  the  broader  field  which  includes  the  statesmanship 
both  of  war  and  of  peace.  Ideas  are  now  clearly  in  the  lead :  confi 
dence  in  the  convictions  and  stability  of  the  people  has  been  established 
in  the  minds  of  men,  both  at  home  and  abroad,  occupying  places  of 
great  power  and  responsibility.  Whatever  at  any  former  time  might 
have  been  their  doubts  or  hesitations,  we  have  now  but  to  stand  to 
gether,  to  stand  firmly,  and,  on  the  great  question  of  the  hour,  to 
support  the  principles  and  methods  confirmed  by  the  President  in  his 
recent  message  to  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  and  to  maintain 
the  courage  of  men,  and  the  fidelity  of  patriots." 

A  colored  man,  who  had  originally  enlisted  in  the  Fifty-fourth 
Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  and  who  had  shown  re 
markable  capacity  for  military  command  and  for  bravery  in 
the  field,  had  been  recommended  to  the  Governor  as  a  proper 
person  to  be  commissioned  as  a  line  officer ;  and  the  Governor 
was  anxious  to  issue  the  commission ;  and  only  waited  the  con 
sent  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  have  him  mustered  in,  which 
was  not  obtained  :  this  man  was  Sergeant  Swailes.  Major-Gen 
eral  John  G.  Foster,  commanding  the  Department  of  North  Car 
olina,  had  approved  of  the  recommendation  ;  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Browne,  who  was  in  Washington,  was  requested  by  the  Gov 
ernor  on  the  12th  of  December,  to  call  upon  Secretary  Stanton, 
and  obtain  permission  to  have  the  man  mustered  in.  In  this 
letter,  the  Governor  said,  — 

"  It  is  perfectly  certain,  that  there  is  no  legislation  necessary  to  se 
cure  the  just  promotion  of  Sergeant  Swailes  :  it  is  only  needful  that 
the  proper  commanding  general  should  understand  that  he  may  dis 
charge  the  sergeant  for  promotion  ;  and  it  is  equally  clear,  that  there  is 
no  regulation  apparent  of  the  War  Department  in  the  way  of  such  dis 
charge.  There  is  nothing  in  the  world  to  prevent  it,  but  a  sort  of  ill- 
defined  notion,  that,  when  the  law  speaks  of  a  man,  a  soldier,  or  a 
person,  they  cannot  possibly  include  a  man  of  '  African  descent.'  I 
wonder  Scipio  Africanus  is  not  struck  out  of  the  list  of  Roman  heroes, 
on  account  of  his  cognomen.  Mr.  Stanton  will  readily  see  the  way  to 
clear  up  all  difficulties,  so  soon  as  he  perceives  what  the  point  of  the 
case  is." 

It  would  appear  that  Secretary  Stanton,  upon  considering  the 


584  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

case,  agreed  with  the  Governor ;  for  Sergeant  Stephen  A. 
Swailes  was  commissioned  second  lieutenant  of  the  Fifty-fourth 
Kegiment,  March  11,  1864,  and  subsequently  was  commis 
sioned  first  lieutenant,  April  28,  1865;  and  was  discharged 
with  the  regiment,  August  20,  1865,  when  the  regiment  was 
mustered  out  of  service,  at  the  end  of  the  war.  This  officer 
belonged  in  Elmira,  N.Y. 

Among  the  many  gentlemen  living  in  other  States,  who  en 
tertained  for  Governor  Andrew  a  high  respect,  was  James  A. 
Hamilton,  son  of  Alexander  Hamilton,  the  friend  and  confidant 
of  Washington,  who  was  living  at  Dobbs'  Ferry,  N.Y.  On  the 
16th  of  December,  Governor  Andrew  wrote  to  this  gentle 
man,  — 

"I  received  your  most  valued  letter  of  the  10th  inst.  yesterday,  and 
read  it  carefully  last  evening,  and  am  glad  to  have  the  opportunity,  not 
only  of  hearing  from  you,  but  of  renewing  my  grateful  acknowledg 
ments  of  your  zealous  patriotism,  and  your  always  suggestive  and 
instructive  counsels.  I  heartily  concur  with  your  estimate  of  the 
importance  of  the  promptest  and  most  determined  action,  in  the  work 
of  constitutional  amendment,  to  secure  the  destruction  of  slavery. 

"In  preparing  my  annual  address  to  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts, 
I  intend  to  urge  your  views  in  the  most  emphatic  manner ;  meanwhile 
I  shall  gladly  receive  and  gratefully  appreciate  any  other  or  further 
suggestions  that  may  occur  to  you  to  present.  Our  Legislature  will 
meet  the  first  Wednesday  in  January." 

On  the  17th  of  December,  the  Governor  received  the  follow 
ing  telegram  from  the  Secretary  of  War  :  — 

"  The  great  battle  between  the  United-States  forces,  under  Major- 
General  Thomas,  and  the  rebel  army,  under  General  Hood,  before 
Nashville,  resulted  yesterday  in  a  great  and  decisive  victory  for  the 
Union  army.  The  rebel  army  has  been  broken  and  routed,  a  large  por 
tion  of  its  artillery,  and  a  great  number  of  prisoners  captured.  This 
triumph  has  been  achieved  with  small  loss  to  our  army :  General 
Thomas  reports  that  his  loss  has  been  very  small,  probably  not  exceed 
ing  three  hundred,  and  very  few  killed." 

On  the  21st  of  December,  the  Governor  addressed  a  letter  to 
Lewis  Hayden,  a  colored  citizen  of  Boston,  who,  as  we  have 
before  stated,  had  been  a  slave  in  Kentucky,  but  who  was  at 
that  time,  and  is  now,  employed  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary 


A   RELIC   AND    A   HERO.  585 

of  State  of  Massachusetts.  Mr.  Hayden  was  the  Master  of  a 
colored  Lodge  of  Free  Masons  in  Boston.  The  Governor 
writes,  — 

"  I  send  you  with  this  note,  for  presentation  to  the  *  Prince  Hall 
Grand  Lodge,'  a  gavel,  made  from  a  piece  of  the  whipping-post  at 
Hampton,  Va.  The  gentleman  who  sent  it  to  me  says,  '  This  post 
or  tree  stood  directly  in  the  rear  of  the  old  court-house,  and  in  front 
of  the  jail :  while  I  was  cutting  it,  about  twenty  colored  men  and  wo 
men  bore  testimony  to  me,  that  it  was  the  identical  post  or  tree  that 
they  had  been  tied  to,  and  had  their  backs  lacerated  with  the  whip.'  I 
also  place  in  your  hands,  for  the  same  purpose,  a  rude  boat  of  straw, 
made  in  the  woods  by  a  poor  refugee  from  slavery.  Jack  Flowers,  who, 
after  a  protracted  journey  through  the  forest,  tracked  by  bloodhounds, 
reached  a  stream,  down  which  he  floated  past  the  rebel  pickets,  till  he 
reached  a  point  guarded  by  the  Union  army,  where  he  landed,  a  free 
man.  A  copy  of  his  narrative  will  be  given  you  for  presentation  with 
this  interesting  relic." 

The  straw  boat,  here  spoken  of,  attracted  much  attention  at 
the  State  House  ;  and  the  wonder  was,  how  so  frail  a  bark 
could  float  a  man  from  slavery  to  freedom.  The  narrative  of 
Jack  Flowers  was  furnished  the  Governor  by  a  gentleman  by 
the  name  of  Judd,  and  tells  a  terrible  tale  of  the  sufferings  and 
wrongs  of  this  poor  man.  It  is  too  long  to  quote  entire.  He 
was  a  slave  in  South  Carolina,  and  escaped  by  means  of  his 
straw  boat  through  the  rebel  pickets,  and  landed  safely  at  Hil 
ton  Head.  Jack  says  that  he  made  several  attempts  to  pass  the 
rebel  picket  line,  but  failed.  We  now  quote  from  his  nar 
rative  :  — 

"  So,  when  I  found  it  was  no  use  to  get  over  that  way,  I  concluded  to 
try  another.  Uncle  lent  rne  his  axe  and  knife,  and  I  cut  a  lot  of  rushes, 
and  a  tough  oak-tree  for  splints,  and  went  to  work  in  the  woods,  and 
made  this  basket :  it  took  me  two  days  to  weave  it,  after  the  stuff  was 
all  ready  ;  the  pitch  I  got  by  cutting  into  a  tree,  and  catching  the  gum, 
which  I  boiled  in  a  kettle  of  my  sister's.  The  old  shutter  came  from 
Dr.  Fuller's  house.  It  was  three  miles  to  the  water,  and  I  carried  the 
basket  alone  on  my  head  in  the  dark  night,  for  fear  of  the  pickets.  It 
was  so  late  in  the  night  when  I  got  all  ready  to  start  in  the  creek, 
that  I  did  not  get  down  to  the  coosa  till  day  clear  ;  so  I  landed  on  a  little 
hammock  close  by  the  mouth  of  the  creek,  and  hid  the  boat  and  my- 


586  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

self  for  another  day.  But  before  nine  o'  clock,  the  next  night,  I  put 
out  and  paddled  over  to  Port  Royal,  too  glad  to  get  away.  The  Yan 
kee  picket  wasn't  asleep,  but  challenged  me  before  I  got  near  the  shore, 
and  I  told  him  right  off,  that  I  was  a  runaway  nigger  coming  ashore  for 
freedom.  The  secesh  picket  heard  me,  and  after  I  got  up  the  bank  he 
hailed  across,  '  Yanks,  who  have  you  got  ?  '  Yankees  say,  '  One  of  your 
fellows.'  '  What  you  going  to  do  with  him  ? '  '  Don't  know :  what 
you  think  best  ? '  '  Cut  him  up  for  fish-bait.  He  ain't  good  for  noth 
ing  else.' " 

The  gentleman  who  furnished  the  Governor  with  this  narra 
tive,  said,  — 

"  If  there  is  a  little  of  intelligence  left  in  this  degraded,  slavery-rid 
den  State,  I  am  very  sure  that  such  men  —  yes,  men,  God's  freemen 
—  as  Jack  Flowers  possess  more  than  a  moiety  thereof." 

We  have  given  the  foregoing  extracts  from  the  correspond 
ence  of  Governor  Andrew,  believing  that  they  would  better 
illustrate  the  inarch  of  events,  and  the  character  of  the  Gov 
ernor,  than  any  words  of  our  own.  Of  course,  there  are 
many  letters  written  by  him,  relating  to  the  daily  routine  of  his 
office,  during  the  last  six  months  of  the  year  1864,  to  which  we 
have  not  recurred,  but  which  speak  of  matters  by  no  means 
void  of  general  interest ;  yet  it  would  not  be  proper  to  quote 
from  them  in  this  volume.  Many  of  them  refer  to  living  per 
sons,  and  to  events  of  which  it  would  not  be  wise  to  speak  now. 
In  the  preceding  pages,  we  have  brought  the  Governor's  corre 
spondence  down  to  Jan.  1,  1865  ;  the  eventful  year  in  which 
the  Rebellion  was  conquered,  and  victory  rested  upon  our 
standards. 

The  year  1864  was  the  presidential  year.  A  Republican 
National  Convention  was  held  in  the  city  of  Baltimore,  at 
which  Abraham  Lincoln  was  nominated  for  re-election  for  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States,  and  Andrew  Johnson,  of  Tennessee, 
was  nominated  for  Vice-President.  The  convention  was  com 
posed  of  the  leading  men  of  the  party, —  men  who  had,  from  the 
beginning  of  the  Rebellion,  never  faltered  or  hesitated  in  their  de 
termination  to  suppress  the  Rebellion,  and  to  make  no  compromise 
or  concession  with  the  enemy  until  he  had  laid  down  his  arms. 
The  resolutions  or  platform  of  the  convention  accorded  with 


KEPUBLICAN    STATE    CONVENTION.  587 

the  principles  of  the  men  who  composed  it,  and  the  party  which 
they  represented. 

The  Democratic  National  Convention  met  in  the  city  of  Chi 
cago,  and  nominated  Major-Gen eral  George  B.  McClellan  for 
President,  and  George  H.  Pendleton,  of  Ohio,  for  Vice-Presi 
dent.  It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  state  with  precision  the  pur 
poses  which  the  election  of  these  gentlemen  were  intended  to 
accomplish.  It  was  generally  understood,  however,  that  peace, 
by  compromise  with  the  rebellious  States,  without  regard  to  the 
question  of  slavery,  would  be  effected,  if  this  ticket  should 
prove  successful.  It  is  not  our  purpose,  however,  to  enter  upon 
inquiry  of  the  subject  here  :  we  refer  to  it  only  as  a  matter  in 
cidental  to  the  purposes  of  this  work. 

The  Republican  State  Convention  of  Massachusetts  met  at 
Worcester  on  the  15th  of  September.  Whiting  Qriswold,  of 
Greenfield,  was  chosen  temporary  chairman.  On  assuming  the 
duties  of  his  position,  he  made  a  short  address,  in  the  course  of 
which  he  said,  — 

"  I  trust  that  this  Convention  will  to-day  utter  a  voice  which  will 
send  cheer  to  the  President  and  his  Cabinet  amid  their  toils  and  labors, 
which  will  strengthen  and  increase  the  Union  feeling  in  every  loyal 
State,  which  will  inspire  our  brave  commanders  and  soldiers  in  the 
field  with  new  hope,  which  will  fall  like  a  death-knell  upon  the  fated 
cities  of  Richmond  and  Charleston." 

Alexander  H.  Rice,  a  member  of  Congress  from  Boston,  was 
chosen  permanent  president  of  the  Convention,  assisted  by  a 
large  number  of  vice-presidents  and  secretaries.  The  opening 
address  of  Mr.  Rice  was  of  considerable  length,  and  of  more 
than  ordinary  power.  We  quote  one  paragraph  :  — 

"  The  platform  of  the  Union  party  has  some  illustrious  persons  just 
now  at  work  in  carrying  it  out,  and  illustrating  the  truth  of  the  doc 
trines  which  it  embodies.  Sherman,  the  gallant  soldier  whose  radiant 
course  from  Chattanooga  culminated  at  Atlanta  in  immortal  renown 
to  his  name,  illustrates  and  exemplifies  the  principles  of  the  Union 
party  of  the  country  ;  they  have  been  boomed  forth  from  the  decks  of 
the  noble  and  gallant  Farragut  in  Mobile  Bay  :  the  same  principles 
went  up  in  the  shouts  of  the  soldiers  of  the  army,  and  the  sailors  of 
the  navy,  as  the  glorious  stars  and  stripes  were  unfurled  over  Gaines 


588  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    [REBELLION. 

and  Powell  and  Morgan,  the  captured  fortifications  of  the  enemy  ;  and 
they  have  come  down  in  response  from  the  sloping  hills  of  the  Greeu 
Mountain  State  in  increased  majorities  for  the  Union  cause,  and,  more 
than  that,  they  have  come  rolling  down  in  thunder  tones  from  the  Pine- 
tree  State  still  roaring  like  the  winds  of  her  mighty  forests." 

Soon  after  the  organization  of  the  convention  was  effected, 
Dvvight  Foster,  Attorney-General  of  the  Commonwealth,  arose, 
and  moved  that  Governor  Andrew  be  nominated  for  re-election 
by  acclamation.  In  the  course  of  his  remarks,  he  said,  — 

"  Four  years  of  association  with  Governor  Andrew  have  made  me  a 
willing  and  cordial  witness  to  the  patriotism,  fidelity,  zeal,  and  success 
with  which  he  has  administered  the  government  of  the  State  during  a 
period  of  unexampled  difficulty  and  responsibility.  What  he  has  done 
for  Massachusetts  outweighs  all  that  Massachusetts  has  done  for 
him." 

The  motion  of  Mr.  Foster  was  carried  with  but  three 
dissenting  voices  in  a  convention  composed  of  more  than  a  thou 
sand  delegates.  The  other  State  officers  were  nominated  for 
re-election  without  opposition,  with  the  exception  of  Mr. 
Foster,  who  declined  being  a  candidate  again  for  Attorney- 
General  ;  and  Chester  I.  Reed,  of  Taunton,  was  nominated 
for  that  office.  Edward  Everett  was  unanimously  nominated 
a  presidential  elector  at  large,  and  with  him  was  associated 
Whiting  Griswold,  of  Greenfield. 

After  the  nominations  were  made,  Alexander  H.  Bullock, 
of  Worcester,  being  called  upon,  addressed  the  convention 
in  a  long  and  eloquent  speech,  which  spoke  the  sentiments  of 
the  party,  was  listened  to  with  marked  attention,  and  was 
applauded  to  the  echo. 

A  scries  of  resolutions  was  reported  from  the  committee, 
by  J.  D.  Baldwin,  of  Worcester,  chairman.  They  recom 
mended  an  earnest  support  of  the  national  and  State  nomina 
tions,  an  unfaltering  and  steady  support  of  the  war  until  the 
rebels  should  lay  down  their  arms  ;  congratulated  the  country 
on  the  downfall  of  the  institution  of  slavery  in  America,  the 
success  of  the  Union  arms  in  the  recent  battles ;  and  ten 
dered  — 


DEMOCRATIC    STATE    CONVENTION.  589 

"  Our  thanks  and  support  to  the  gallant  soldiers  and  sailors  of  the 
Union  army  and  navy,  who  defend  the  existence,  honor,  and  perpetuity 
of  the  republic ;  and  the  nation  owes  to  the  survivors  who  have  been 
disabled  in  its  service  an  honorable  and  permanent  provision,  and 
we  will  hold  in  grateful  remembrance  those  who  have  fallen  in  its 
defence." 

The  convention  was  one  of  the  largest,  most  earnest  and 
enthusiastic,  ever  held  in  Massachusetts,  composed  as  it  was 
entirely  of  delegates  representing  one  of  the  great  parties 
of  the  Commonwealth. 

The  Democratic  State  Convention  met  in  Faneuil  Hall, 
Boston,  on  the  21st  of  September,  and  was  organized  by 
the  choice  of  Dr.  A.  Page,  of  Springfield,  as  temporary  chair 
man,  and  Theodore  H.  Sweetser,  of  Lowell,  as  permanent 
president.  On  taking  the  chair,  Mr.  Sweetser  made  an  im 
pressive  and  eloquent  speech,  which  closed  as  follows  :  — 

"  And,  while  we  raise  here  the  banner  of  civil  conflict,  we  will 
neither  now  or  ever  cease  to  remember  our  brothers  —  braver  men 
never  lived  —  who  have  upheld  the  honor  of  our  flag,  under  Sherman 
at  Atlanta,  under  Sheridan  at  Winchester,  under  Grant  at  Petersburg, 
on  the  land ;  under  Farragut,  Dupont,  and  Dahlgren,  and  other  com 
manders,  on  the  seas.  Nor  will  we  forget  our  not  less  brave  but  more 
unfortunate  brethren  than  if  they  had  died  with  the  shouts  of  victory 
on  their  lips,  whose  mournful  groans  come  up  to  us  from  loathsome 
prisons,  unheeded  by  the  ear  and  heart  of  him  who  sits  too  long  in 
the  presidential  chair.  If  we  are  powerless  to  save,  we  will  pity 
them,  and  we  will  not  forget  their  beloved  ones  at  home." 

At  the  close  of  Mr.  Sweetser's  speech,  Charles  G.  Greene, 
editor  of  the  Boston  Post,  proposed  three  cheers  for  General 
Sheridan,  and  his  victory  in  the  Shenandoah  valley;  and  ex 
pressed  the  hope  that  the  General  might  drive  the  enemy  from 
the  valley,  and  keep  him  out ;  and  restore  the  valley  to  the 
Old  Dominion,  and  restore  the  Old  Dominion  to  the  Union. 

The  convention  nominated  the  same  gentlemen  for  State 
officers  who  had  been  the  candidates  of  the  party  the  year 
before ;  and  selected  Robert  C.  Winthrop,  of  Boston,  and 
Erasmus  D.  Beach,  of  Springfield,  as  presidential  electors  at 
large. 


590  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE   REBELLION. 

A  series  of  resolutions  were  adopted  which  were  reported  by 
Colonel  Charles  G.  Greene,  of  Boston.  They  strongly  indorsed 
the  nominations  of  General  McClellan  and  Mr.  Pendleton,  for 
President  and  Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  arid  in 
equally  strong  terms  opposed  the  Rebellion.  They  expressed 
sympathy  with  the  sufferings  and  trials  of  our  soldiers  and 
sailors,  congratulated  the  country  upon  the  victories  achieved 
by  our  armies,  and  recommended  that  our  soldiers  in  rebel 
prisons  be  liberated  by  a  proper  system  of  exchanges. 

The  election  took  place  on  the  second  Tuesday  in  November, 
and  resulted  as  follows :  for  the  Lincoln  electoral  ticket, 
126,742;  for  the  McClellan  electoral  ticket,  48,745,— Lin 
coln's  majority,  77,997.  For  Governor  Andrew,  125,281; 
for  Henry  W.  Paine,  49,190,  — Governor  Andrew's  majority, 
76,091. 

A  great  many  men  who  had  enlisted  during  the  year,  elected 
to  take  the  State  bounty  of  fifty  dollars  in  advance,  and  twenty 
dollars  a  month.  The  monthly  bounty  was  to  be  paid  by  the 
State  Treasurer  every  two  months  ;  and  the  pay-rolls  were  to  be 
made  out  by  the  Adjutant-General  from  certified  rolls  made 
by  the  regimental  or  company  officers  at  the  front,  under 
whom  the  men  were  serving.  Many  of  the  officers  neglected 
to  forward  the  rolls  as  required,  which  prevented  the  Adjutant- 
General  from  making  the  pay-rolls  ;  and,  as  many  of  the  men 
had  arranged,  before  leaving  the  State,  to  have  their  families 
draw  their  monthly  pay,  considerable  disappointment  and  suffer 
ing  ensued.  These  officers  had  been  frequently  written  to,  and 
blank  rolls  forwarded  for  them  to  fill  up ;  nevertheless,  the 
business  was  not  attended  to  by  them  as  promptly  as  it  should 
have  been.  General  Oliver,  the  State  Treasurer,  complained  to 
the  Governor,  that  persons  coming  to  his  office  expecting  to  re 
ceive  the  bounty  could  not  be  paid,  because  the  rolls  were  not 
made  out,  which  caused  much  dissatisfaction  and  disappoint 
ment  to  the  persons  who  expected  to  receive  the  money.  On 
the  15th  of  October,  the  Adjutant-General  addressed  a  letter  to 
the  Governor  upon  this  subject :  — 

"  I  have  used  and  shall  use  every  proper  means  in  my  power,  to  have 
returns  made  regularly  and  promptly ;  and,  in  this  connection,  I  would 


THE  ADJUTANT  GOES  TO  THE  FRONT.         591 

most  respectfully  request  your  Excellency  to  give  me  a  furlough  for 
two  weeks  to  visit  our  regiments  and  batteries  at  the  front :  I  could 
then  have  the  rolls  made  up  to  the  first  of  the  next  month,  and  bring 
them  home  with  me.  I  have  not  had  "  a  leave  of  absence  "  for  over  two 
years,  and  I  should  very  much  like  to  go  out  and  take  a  view  of  our 
army,  and  see  our  men  ;  it  would  also  aid  me  in  writing  my  next  an 
nual  report.  We  have  filled  all  our  quotas,  and  the  business  of  the 
office  is  not  so  pressing  as  it  has  been.  If  your  Excellency  approves 
of  my  suggestions,  and  will  grant  me  a  leave  of  absence,  I  will  start 
for  the  army  some  time  next  week,  and  bring  home  with  me  the  back 
rolls." 

The  leave  asked  for  was  granted.  On  his  return  from  the 
army,  the  Adjutant-General  made  the  following  report  to  the 
Governor :  — 

ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  BOSTON,  Nov.  14,  1864. 
To  his  Excellency  JOHN  A.  ANDREW,  Governor  and  Commander-in-chief. 

GOVERNOR,  —  With  your  Excellency's  permission,  I  left  this  city  on 
the  18th  of  October,  to  visit  our  Massachusetts  regiments  and  batteries 
in  the  field.  I  had  been  on  duty  at  the  State  House  almost  without  a 
day's  relief  for  two  years  and  a  half:  I  now  have  the  honor  to  report 
my  experience  during  the  three  weeks  I  was  absent.  I  left  Boston  by 
Fall  River  route  for  New  York  on  the  evening  of  the  18th  ult.,  and 
arrived  at  the  Astor  House,  New  York,  the  next  morning,  where  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  Major- General  Banks,  who  had  recently  arrived 
from  the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  There  also  was  the  body  of  Colo 
nel  George  D.  Wells,  late  of  the  Massachusetts  Thirty-fourth  Regi 
ment,  who  had  bravely  fallen  in  battle ;  and  kind  friends  were 
conveying  it  tenderly  to  its  place  of  sepulture  in  the  Old  Bay  State. 

During  the  forenoon,  I  called  at  the  headquarters  of  Major-General 
Dix,  to  ascertain  what  decision  had  been  made  in  regard  to  having  the 
forts  on  the  coast  garrisoned  with  one  year's  troops,  whose  terms  of  ser 
vice  were  soon  to  expire.  I  had  a  pleasant  interview  with  the  Gen 
eral,  and  with  Colonel  Van  Buren,  his  chief  of  staff,  and  was  informed 
that  authority  had  already  been  forwarded  to  your  Excellency  to 
recruit  one  year's  companies  as  requested;  and  Colonel  Van  Buren 
caused  a  copy  of  the  authority  to  be  made  out,  which  I  forwarded  that 
evening  to  Major  Brown,  assistant  Adjutant-General. 

On  Thursday  morning  (Oct.  20),  I  met  Brigadier- General  Peirce, 
Inspector-General  of  the  Commonwealth,  who  informed  me  that 
our  Sixth  Regiment  had  arrived  in  the  city  on  its  way  home,  its 
term  of  service  being  nearly  completed,  and  that  it  was  at  the  Battery 


592  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Barracks.  We  visited  the  regiment  soon  afterwards,  and  found  it  in 
good  condition  ;  both  officers  and  men  were  glad  to  see  us.  The  regi 
ment  was  to  leave  New  York  at  three  o'clock ;  and  I  had  the  honor  of 
marching  with  Colonel  Follansbee  and  his  command  up  Broadway  as 
far  as  Barclay  Street,  where  the  regiment  filed  to  the  left,  to  go  on 
board  the  steamer  for  Boston  :  the  regiment,  as  it  passed,  paid  me  the 
honor  of  a  marching  salute.  The  old  Sixth  attracted  much  attention  as 
it  marched  up  Broadway.  At  the  request  of  Colonel  Follansbee,  I 
telegraphed  to  Major  Brown  to  arrange  with  Major  Clarke.  U.S.A., 
military  commander,  to  have  the  regiment  furloughed  upon  its  arrival 
in  Boston,  until  such  time  as  its  rolls  could  be  completed  for  mustering 
out :  this  arrangement  was  made.  The  Sixth  had  been  on  guard  duty 
for  nearly  three  months  at  Fort  Delaware,  in  which  a  large  number  of 
rebel  prisoners  were  confined. 

On  the  morning  of  Friday,  Oct.  21,  I  left  New  York  for  Wash 
ington.  I  stopped  at  Baltimore,  expecting  to  see  our  Fifth  and  Eighth 
Regiments,  which  I  knew  were  stationed  there.  I  found  that  the  regi 
ments  were  scattered  by  companies  in  different  parts  of  the  city,  and 
in  forts  in  the  vicinity  of  Baltimore,  and  that  it  would  take  at  least  a 
day  to  visit  them.  As  they  were  soon  to  leave  for  home,  I  concluded 
not  to  delay,  and  therefore  pushed  on  That  night  for  Washington,  where 
I  arrived  about  ten  o'clock,  and  put  up  at  the  National  Hotel.  During 
the  two  hours  that  I  remained  in  Baltimore,  I  called  at  the  headquar 
ters  of  the  provost-marshal,  where  one  of  the  companies  of  the  Eighth 
was  on  duty.  I  learned  from  officers  and  residents  of  Baltimore,  that 
our  two  regiments  maintained  a  high  rank  as  soldiers  and  citizens. 

On  Saturday  morning,  Oct.  22,  I  called  upon  Colonel  Gardiner 
Tufts,  Massachusetts  military  State  agent,  and  arranged  with  him 
about  visiting  our  troops  on  duty  in  the  fortifications  around  Washing 
ton  ;  and  at  twelve  o'clock,  noon,  we  started  in  a  carriage  to  visit  those 
stationed  in  the  forts  on  the  Virginia  side  of  the  Potomac.  We  passed 
out  through  Georgetown,  and,  after  a  ride  of  six  miles,  came  to  what 
is  known  as  the  Chain  Bridge,  where  we  found  the  Fourteenth  Company 
of  Heavy  Artillery  on  duty  guarding  the  bridge  :  the  company  was 
under  command  of  Lieutenant  Wilson,  who  has  acted  in  that  capacity 
ever  since  it  was  formed.  Captain  Cook  has  never  reported  for  duty, 
ill-health  having  detained  him  at  home.  Lieutenant  Wilson  informed 
me  that  he  had  been  placed  in  charge  of  the  bridge  only  a  day  or  two 
before  ;  he  had  replaced  with  his  command  a  company  from  an  adjoin 
ing  State,  which  had  acted  so  badly  that  it  had  been  sent  to  a  fort. 
After  a  short  stop  with  the  officers  and  company,  we  passed  over  the 
bridge,  and  entered  Virginia.  A  line  of  fortifications  for  the  defence 


LETTER  FROM  THE  FRONT.  593 

of  Washington  extends  on  the  Virginia  side  from  "  Chain  Bridge  "  to 
"  Long  Bridge  "  at  Washington,  which  are  connected  with  breastworks 
and  rifle-pits,  the  entire  distance.  A  short  way  from  Chain  Bridge  is 
Fort  Ethan  Allen,  where  we  stopped :  this  fort  is  very  large,  and  is 
garrisoned  by  five  companies  of  Massachusetts  unattached  heavy  artil 
lery.  Here  we  stayed  nearly  an  hour,  and  then  passed  on  to  Forts 
Whipple,  Cass,  Tillinghast,  Smith,  and  Albany,  each  of  which  is  garri 
soned  by  our  unattached  heavy  artillery  companies.  We  arrived  at 
Washington  about  dark,  having  passed  a  most  pleasant  and  profitable 
day.  The  country  through  which  I  had  passed  was  high  and  rolling, 
intersected  at  short  intervals  with  ravines ;  the  forts  all  have  command 
ing  positions.  Two  years  and  a  half  ago,  I  passed  over  a  great  part 
of  this  tract,  with  the  late  lamented  Colonel  Cass,  of  the  Ninth  Massa 
chusetts  ;  it  was  then  thickly  wooded,  and  it  was  difficult  to  make  your 
way  through  it  on  horseback :  now  good  carriage  roads  intersect  it,  and 
travelling  in  a  carriage  is  not  difficult.  The  woods  have  been  felled 
and  used  for  making  abatis  and  corduroy  roads,  and  to  light  up  camp- 
fires. 

After  arriving  at  my  hotel,  I  had  the  honor  of  an  introduction  to 
Brigadier- General  Custar,  of  General  Sheridan's  army.  He  had  ar 
rived  in  Washington  that  afternoon  from  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  hav 
ing  in  custody  twelve  battle-flags,  which  had  been  captured  from  the 
enemy  the  Wednesday  preceding ;  he  was  to  present  them  the  next 
day  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  he  was  pleased  to  give  me  an  invi 
tation  to  be  present.  From  him  I  first  learned  that  Colonel  Lowell, 
of  the  Second  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  had  been  killed,  gallantly  lead 
ing  his  regiment  in  the  front  of  battle.  This  news  saddened  my 
heart.  Colonel  Lowell  was  my  beau  ideal  of  an  officer  and  a  gentle 
man  ;  I  had  seen  much  of  him  while  he  was  in  Massachusetts  raising 
and  organizing  his  regiment,  and  had  become  warmly  attached  to 
him  ;  he  was  one  of  our  best  and  bravest.  General  Custar  informed 
me  that  Colonel  Lowell  was  severely  wounded  in  the  early  part  of  the 
engagement,  and  was  advised  to  retire  to  the  rear ;  he  thought,  how 
ever,  he  could  stand  the  fatigues  of  the  day,  and  stoutly  held  to 
his  command  ;  a  few  hours  afterwards  he  fell,  mortally  wounded.  It 
was  pleasant  to  listen  to  the  words  of  praise  which  General  Custar  be 
stowed  upon  his  fallen  comrade. 

Sunday,  Oct.  23.  —  I  remained  in  my  room,  trying  to  rid  my 
self  of  a  severe  cold  which  I  had  taken  the  day  before  in  my  visit  to 
the  fortifications.  A  number  of  friends  called  during  the  day,  among 
whom  was  Governor  Corwin,  of  Ohio,  with  whom  I  agreed  to  spend 
the  next  evening.  He  has  recently  returned  from  Mexico ;  his 

38 


594  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

health  is  good,  and  his    conversational  powers    are   as  wonderful    as 
ever. 

Monday,  Oct.  24.  — I  hired  a  carriage,  and  at  ten  o'clock  was  on  my 
way  to  visit  our  heavy  artillery  companies  which  garrison  the  forts  on 
the  Maryland  side  of  the  Potomac.  Our  route  was  over  the  Capitol 
Hill,  and  then  near  the  Navy  Yard,  where  we  crossed  what  is  called 
the  East  Branch,  a  stream  which  runs  up  to  Bladensburg.  On  the 
bridge  I  met  Major  Allen  and  a  lieutenant  of  our  Third  Regiment 
Heavy  Artillery,  who  were  going  to  Washington,  and  from  them  I  re 
ceived  instructions  how  to  proceed.  After  parting  with  them,  and 
about  midway  over  the  bridge,  I  was  surprised  and  shocked  at  seeing  a 
cavalry  soldier  on  horseback,  dragging,  with  a  rope  about  twenty  feet 
long,  two  colored  women,  who  were  handcuffed ;  one  end  of  the  rope 
was  attached  to  the  manacles,  and  the  other  to  the  saddle  of  the  dra 
goon  ;  he  was  riding  at  a  sharp  pace,  and  the  women  had  to  run  fast  to 
prevent  their  falling  on  their  faces  ;  a  cavalry  soldier  on  horseback 
brought  up  the  rear.  The  sight  appeared  to  excite  no  emotion  among 
the  crowd  of  teamsters  and  pedestrians  who  thronged  the  bridge. 
When  I  got  to  the  end  of  the  bridge,  I  inquired  of  the  guard  what  the 
poor  women  had  done  that  they  should  be  thus  treated,  and  was  told 
that  "  they  had  been  loafing  around  the  camp  for  two  or  three  days." 
On  my  return  to  Washington,  I  made  a  statement  of  the  circumstances 
to  Colonel  Ingraham,  assistant  provost-marshal,  and  he  said  he  would 
have  the  matter  inquired  into.  I  have  heard  nothing  more  of  this 
beastly  outrage  since. 

Two  miles  from  the  bridge,  I  came  to  Fort  Baker,  which  was  under 
command  of  Lieutenant  Dame,  Sixth  Company  ;  found  there  also 
Lieutenant  Bumpus,  of  the  Tenth  Company,  who  is  on  staff  duty. 
Next  passed  on  to  Fort  Greble,  where  our  Seventh  Company  had  its 
headquarters.  Part  of  it  were  also  in  Forts  Snyder  and  Carroll.  I 
next  came  to  Fort  Davis,  where  the  Tenth  Company  is  stationed, 
which  also  had  details  in  Forts  Davis,  Dupont,  Mahan,  and  Meigs. 
Captain  Bumpus,  who  commands  this  company,  I  did  not  see,  he  hav 
ing  gone  that  morning  to  Washington.  I  found  Lieutenant  Sanborn 
in  command.  From  Fort  Meigs  I  had  to  make  a  journey  of  nearly 
six  miles  to  Fort  Lincoln,  and  to  again  cross  the  "  East  Branch." 
Here  is  the  headquarters  of  the  Ninth  Company,  Captain  Gordon. 
This  company  garrisons  Fort  Lincoln  (which  is  within  a  mile  of 
Bladensburg,  and  near  General  Hooker's  old  camp),  Thayer  and 
Saratoga.  Captain  Gordon  and  Lieutenant  Currier  had  left,  the  day 
before  I  arrived,  to  attend  a  court  in  New  Jersey,  where  one  of  the 
Ninth-company  men  was  under  trial  for  murder,  he  having  shot  a  man 


LETTER  FROM  THE  FRONT. 

in  New  Jersey  while  the  company  was  on  its  way  to  Washington, 
It  was  now  wearing  late  in  the  afternoon ;  and,  as  I  had  ridden  about 
twenty  miles,  we  drove  over  the  Bladensburg  pike  to  Washington, 
and  arrived  there  at  dark. 

There  is  an  extension  of  these  works  on  the  Maryland  side  reaching 
as  far  as  the  Chain  Bridge  ;  but,  as  there  are  but  two  of  our  com 
panies  in  them,  I  did  not  think  I  could  spare  another  day  to  visit 
them. 

My  chief  purpose  in  visiting  these  fortifications  was  to  see  our  Mas 
sachusetts  men,  and  to  impress  upon  our  officers  the  importance  of 
making  out  the  muster  pay-rolls  of  the  men  in  their  several  commands 
who  had  elected  to  take  the  twenty  dollars  a  month  State  pay.  I  car 
ried  with  me  blank  rolls,  and  gave  instructions  how  to  make  them  out. 
The  families  of  these  men  have  called  at  the  State  House  in  numbers 
every  day  for  the  monthly  pay ;  but,  as  returns  had  not  been  made  at 
this  office,  I  could  not  make  out  the  pay-rolls.  The  officers  promised 
to  attend  to  this  matter  at  once,  and  would  leave  the  rolls  at  Colonel 
Tufts's  office  at  Washington,  so  that  I  could  take  them  home  with  me 
on  my  return  from  the  front.  Colonel  Tufts  promised  to  attend  to  the 
two  companies  which  I  did  not  visit.  I  may  say  here  that  the  prom 
ises  made  by  the  officers  were  kept  in  every  instance ;  and  on  my  re 
turn  to  Washington,  ten  days  after,  I  received  the  rolls  from  Colonel 
Tufts,  made  up  to  the  31st  of  October,  which  I  brought  home  with 
me.  I  have  no  doubt  I  shall  hereafter  receive  the  rolls  regularly. 

I  found  the  defences  of  Washington  almost  entirely  garrisoned  by 
our  men,  and  their  good  conduct  and  soldierly  bearing  were  universally 
acknowledged. 

The  health  of  the  companies,  as  a  general  thing,  is  good,  although  in 
some  of  the  companies  a  good  deal  of  malarial  fever,  and  fever  and 
ague,  prevails.  The  men,  however,  did  not  complain,  but  appeared 
cheerful  and  happy.  Of  one  thing  I  am  thoroughly  satisfied,  that  they 
have  good  officers,  who  are  qualified  to  command,  and  who  regard  with 
zealous  care  the  comfort  and  health  of  the  men.  All  I  regret  is,  that 
I  could  not  stop  longer  with  them,  for  I  had  a  hearty  greeting  and 
pressing  invitations  to  stay  longer  in  each  of  their  camps. 

The  evening  I  passed  in  my  room,  and  quite  a  number  of  our 
officers  and  other  friends  called  upon  me. 

Oct.  25.  —  I  passed  several  hours  at  the  War  Department  transact 
ing  business  with  Colonel  Breck  and  Colonel  Vincent,  who  have  lately 
been  promoted  to  that  rank.  It  is  a  pleasure  to  do  business  now  at  the 
War  Department,  every  thing  is  so  well  arranged  and  systematized. 
Having  completed  my  business,  and  obtained  a  pass  from  Major  Po- 


5 §6  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

lonzie,  Assistant  Adjutant-General,  I  called  upon  Colonel  Tufts,  and 
arranged  with  him  to  send  blank  rnuster-rolls  for  pay  to  the  companies 
garrisoning  the  forts  in  that  part  of  the  defences  of  Washington  which 
I  had  not  time  to  visit.  I  had  previously  arranged  with  those  I  had 
visited  to  have  the  rolls  of  the  men  who  had  elected  to  receive  the 
State  pay  of  twenty  dollars  a  month  made  up  to  the  31st  of  October, 
and  to  have  them  left  with  Colonel  Tufts,  so  that  I  could  get  them  on 
my  return  from  the  front. 

At  three  o'clock,  I  left  Washington,  on  the  mail  steamer  "  Express," 
for  City  Point,  General  Grant's  headquarters.  The  boat  was  crowded 
with  passengers,  among  whom  were  a  large  number  of  officers,  when 
we  left  Washington;  but,  on  reaching  Alexandria,  we  took  on  board 
three  hundred  more.  These  were  soldiers  from  "  Camp  Distribution," 
belonging  to  different  regiments  in  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  They 
were  made  up  of  convalescents,  bounty -jumpers,  deserters,  and  new 
recruits,  white  and  black.  We  had  three  fights  on  board  before  we 
had  been  from  the  wharf  half  an  hour.  One  fellow  was  also  detected 
in  stealing,  and  was  tied  up  by  the  wrists  for  about  four  hours. 

The  sail  down  the  Potomac  was  very  pleasant,  until  night  shut  off 
the  view  when  near  Acquia  Creek.  I  had  a  very  good  view  of 
Mount  Vernon,  and  the  outlines  of  the  old  Washington  estate.  There 
were  but  four  state-rooms  on  the  boat,  and  no  berths ;  there  were 
a  few  rough  bunks  for  soldiers.  It  therefore  became  a  serious 
question  how  we  were  to  pass  the  night.  About  nine  o'clock,  the 
steward  spread  about  a  dozen  narrow  mattresses  on  the  floor  of  the 
dining-room,  which  were  soon  disposed  of  at  a  dollar  apiece.  I  was 
too  late  to  get  one ;  but  a  friend  onboard,  who  had  seen  camp-service, 
had  with  him  a  good  buffalo  robe,  which  he  spread  on  the  floor,  and 
invited  me  to  share  it  with  him,  which  invitation  I  gladly  accepted. 
Before  retiring,  I  made  a  survey  of  the  boat.  I  was  curious  to  know 
how  the  remaining  five  or  six  hundred  human  beings  were  to  rest. 
A  large  proportion  of  the  soldiers  were  already  asleep  on  the  decks 
on  coils  of  rope,  on  boxes  and  bales ;  the  colored  soldiers  and 
the  white  lying  side  by  side.  Those  who  had  not  retired  were  as 
sembled  in  groups,  some  playing  cards,  and  others  singing  camp- 
songs.  At  ten  o'clock,  I  took  off  my  boots  and  shared  my  friend's 
buffalo-robe,  and  slept  soundly  till  early  morning,  when  the  boat 
stopped  to  deliver  the  mail  and  a  few  passengers  at  Point  Lookout,  a 
large  depot  for  rebel  prisoners,  which  is  commanded  at  present  by 
Brigadier-General  Barnes,  formerly  colonel  of  the  Massachusetts 
Eighteenth. 

We  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe  at  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of 


LETTER  FROM  THE  FRONT.  597 

the  26th.  Here  every  thing  was  bustle  and  activity.  The  wharf  was 
crowded  with  all  kinds  of  commissary,  military  and  naval  stores,  and 
hundreds  of  contrabands  were  busy  at  work.  In  Hampton  Roads  lay 
the  largest  fleet  of  war-vessels  and  transport-ships  ever  concentrated 
in  any  harbor  in  America.  It  was  a  beautiful  sight,  and  gave  one  an 
enlarged  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  this  war,  of  the  enterprise  of  our 
people,  and  of  the  resources  of  the  nation. 

The  boat  remained  at  Fortress  Monroe  two  hours,  and  then  pro 
ceeded  on  past  Newport  News  to  the  mouth  of  the  James,  and,  follow 
ing  the  devious  channel  of  that  river  for  about  seventy  miles,  arrived 
at  five  o'clock,  P.M.,  at  City  Point,  which  is  the  base  of  supplies  for 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  headquarters  of  Lieutenant-General 
Grant.  The  trip  was  made,  including  stoppages,  in  twenty-six  hours. 
The  fare  from  Washington  to  City  Point  is  eight  dollars  and  a  half, 
meals  one  dollar  each,  and  state-room  a  dollar  and  a  half.  The  "  Ex 
press  "  was  a  poor  boat,  and  it  has  been  taken  off  the  line,  and 
another,  with  good  sleeping  accommodations,  put  on  in  its  place.  A 
steamer  leaves  Washington  every  afternoon  for  City  Point,  stopping 
at  Alexandria,  Point  Lookout,  and  Fortress  Monroe. 

The  scenery  on  the  James  is  monotonous  in  the  extreme.  The  banks 
are  densely  wooded,  and  there  is  not  a  village  worthy  of  the  name  to 
be  seen  from  the  steamer.  We  passed  the  ruins  of  the  ancient  city  of 
Jamestown  in  the  afternoon  :  one  or  two  chimneys,  and  the  remains 
of  brick  walls,  are  all  that  is  left  to  mark  "  the  first  settlement  of  Vir 
ginia."  Thoughts  of  Captain  Smith,  Rolfe,  Pocahontas,  and  Powha- 
tan  naturally  well  up  in  the  memory,  on  gazing  at  the  ruins  of  this 
ancient  town,  near  by  which,  arid  on  its  site,  is  a  camp  of  colored  sol 
diers,  which  the  captain  of  the  boat  informed  me  was  commanded  by 
Brigadier-General  Wild,  of  Massachusetts.  Their  white  tents  made  a 
pleasant  contrast  to  the  dark  foliage  of  the  pines,  and  the  ruins  of  a 
city  which  has  passed  away.  As  the  steamer  glides  up  the  stream, 
other  names  attract  your  attention,  and  excite  your  interest,  associated, 
as  they  are,  with  late  events  of  the  war ;  such  as  Foster's  Landing, 
White-House  Landing,  Harrison's  Landing,  Light-house  Point,  Fort 
Powhatan,  &c.,  &c.  The  river  is  well  guarded  with  gunboats, 
and  there  is  no  fear  of  the  navigation  being  interrupted  by  the  enemy. 

At  City  Point,  the  river  is  crowded  with  vessels  of  all  descriptions ; 
the  wharves  extend  for  at  least  half  a  mile;  numerous  supplies  for 
the  army  are  here  stored.  A  colored  regiment  does  guard  duty,  and 
colored  men  load  and  unload  the  vessels,  railroad  cars,  and  army  wag 
ons.  It  is  a  busy,  active  place.  On  ascending  the  bank,  which 
is  seventy-five  feet  high,  the  first  place  to  visit  is  the  provost-marshal's 


598  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

office,  where  the  passes  are  examined.  General  Patrick  is  stationed 
here  as  provost-marshal-general  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  first  information  I  received  on  landing  was,  that  an  advance  had 
been  ordered,  and  the  army  had  moved  that  morning.  This  was  the 
extent  of  the  information  I  could  gain.  This,  I  feared,  would  disconcert 
my  plan  of  seeing  our  regiments,  and  perfecting  our  rolls  ;  but,  as  Gen 
eral  Grant's  purposes  were  of  more  importance  than  mine,  I  concluded 
to  find  some  accommodation  for  the  night,  and  see  what  the  morning- 
would  bring  forth.  On  inquiring  at  the  tent  of  the  Christian  Commis 
sion,  I  was  directed  to  the  hotel,  a  building  of  rough  pine  boards,  which 
I  had  passed  once  or  twice  before,  thinking  it  was  a  stable  for  cavalry 
horses.  I  succeeded  by  good  luck  in  getting  the  last  unspoken  cot  in 
the  house :  I  secured  it  by  putting  my  name  on  the  book,  and  paying 
one  dollar ;  another  dollar  secured  me  a  place  at  the  supper-table.  My 
room  contained  three  cots :  I  occupied  mine  about  nine  o'clock,  and 
during  the  night  the  other  two  were  taken  up.  In  the  morning,  I  found 
my  fellow-lodgers  were  connected  with  the  United-States  Service  Mag 
azine,  and  we  became  acquainted. 

At  nine  o'clock,  I  walked  over  to  General  Grant's  headquarters. 
The  General  and  staff  live  in  tents.  I  missed  seeing  him,  as  he  had 
left  at  seven  o'clock  for  the  front ;  I  had  a  pleasant  interview,  however, 
with  his  adjutant-general,  who  gavre  me  a  pass  to  Bermuda  Hundred. 
In  coming  back  to  the  hotel,  I  observed,  in  an  open  space  near  by, 
about  one  hundred  soldiers'  graves  ;  each  had  a  small  board  placed  at 
the  head.  On  examining  them,  I  found  one  was  the  grave  of  "  Ebria 
Shockley,  Fifth  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  died  June  26,  1864;"  and 
another,  the  grave  of  "  Charles  Caldwell,  Company  C,  Sixteenth  Regi 
ment,  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  died  June  22,  1864."  I  made  a 
memorandum,  and  sent  it  home,  to  ascertain  if  these  deaths  had  ever 
been  reported.  From  the  exposed  position  of  this  burial-place,  all 
traces  of  the  graves  will  be  obliterated  in  a  few  weeks. 

Oct.  27.  —  Having  obtained  my  pass,  I  concluded  to  visit  General 
Butler's  headquarters,  and  the  Army  of  the  James.  The  boat  left 
City  Point  at  eleven  o'clock  for  Bermuda  Hundred,  which  is  three 
miles  distant,  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  While  standing 
on  the  boat,  I  had  the  good  fortune  of  meeting  with  Mr.  Fay,  of  Chel 
sea,  who  has  charge  of  the  affairs  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  Gen 
eral  Grant's  army.  From  him  I  learned  that  our  Sixty-first  Regiment, 
Colonel  Wolcott,  was  stationed  about  a  mile  from  City  Point,  near  the 
hospitals,  and  that  it  had  been  attached  to  the  engineer  corps.  I  re 
gretted  that  I  had  not  known  it  before,  as  I  would  have  preferred 
quarters  with  Colonel  Wolcott  to  those  at  "  the  hotel."  The  regiment 


LETTER  FROM  THE  FRONT.  599 

is  in  splendid  condition.  Mr.  Fay  invited  me  to  visit  the  hospitals  on 
my  return.  Here  I  also  met  Dr.  Graves,  of  the  Marine  Hospital  at 
Chelsea.  He  had  just  returned  from  a  visit  to  General  Butler. 

On  reaching  Bermuda  Hundred,  I  reported  to  Lieutenant  North, 
assistant  provost-marshal ;  and,  he  being  one  of  our  Massachusetts  boys, 
I  received  every  courtesy  in  his  power  to  render.  He  ordered  an  am 
bulance  to  take  me  to  the  headquarters  of  General  Butler,  which  was 
about  six  miles  distant,  in  a  grove  of  oaks.  The  ride  was  of  much  in 
terest,  as  we  passed  several  camps  and  hospitals  ;  the  road  lay  through 
cornfields  most  of  the  way.  At  Wilson's  Landing,  we  crossed  a  bend 
on  the  James,  on  a  pontoon  bridge.  On  reaching  headquarters,  I  was 
cordially  welcomed  by  Major  Davis  and  Captain  Sealy,  of  General 
Butler's  staff:  the  General,  with  other  members  of  his  staff,  had  gone 
to  the  front  that  morning,  distant  about  five  miles.  I  heard  firing  all 
the  day.  The  Tenth  and  Eighteenth  Army  Corps  are  in  the  Army  of 
the  James. 

I  here  learned  that  the  advance  of  the  armies  was  a  concerted  move 
ment,  to  obtain  possession  of  the  Danville  Railroad.  Lee's  army  was 
to  be  attacked  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  the  railroad  taken  if 
possible,  while  the  Army  of  the  James  was  to  operate  on  that  side, 
and  prevent  reinforcements  being  sent  to  Lee,  and  to  take  advantage 
of  circumstances. 

As  General  Butler  and  staff  were  expected  in  the  evening,  I  con 
cluded  to  remain  for  the  present  where  I  was.  It  rained  during  the 
whole  of  the  afternoon,  and  part  of  the  evening.  The  celebrated 
Dutch  Gap,  where  General  Butler  is  making  a  canal,  is  about  a  mile 
and  a  half  from  headquarters  ;  a  rebel  battery  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  James,  in  a  thick  wood,  keeps  up  a  fire  upon  it  during  the  day 
and  night.  I  had  a  strong  curiosity  to  see  the  Gap ;  and,  as  there  had 
been  no  firing  for  an  hour,  Captain  Sealy  thought  it  had  ceased  for  the 
afternoon.  Accordingly,  I  set  off  on  horseback  with  an  orderly,  to  see 
the  famous  canal.  I  got  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  it,  when  a  re 
port  was  heard,  then  a  whistling  sound,  then  a  strike,  then  an  explosion, 
then  dirt  and  mire.  The  shell  was  in  direct  range,  as  all  their  shots 
are,  but  it  fell  short.  I  thought  I  could  get  a  sight  of  the  Gap  before 
the  "  rebs  "  would  load  and  fire  again,  and  pushed  my  horse  forward, 
and  got  a  partial  look  at  it,  when  another  shell  came  over,  and  ex 
ploded  within  twenty-five  yards  of  where  I  was.  I  therefore  "  retired 
in  good  order,  having  accomplished  the  purpose  of  my  reconnoissance," 
to  within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  Gap,  and  watched  the  shelling  for 
half  an  hour  or  more.  Not  more  than  one  shell  out  of  five  fell  into 
the  Gap,  where  many  hundred  men  are  working  day  and  night.  The 


600  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

lines  here  are  picketed  by  colored  soldiers.  The  rebel  pickets  were 
visible  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 

Ou  returning  to  headquarters,  I  found  thirty  rebel  prisoners  had  ar 
rived  ;  they  had  been  captured  in  the  morning.  About  six  o'clock, 
Brigadier-General  Devens,  who  had  been  at  the  front  all  day  with 
General  Butler,  came  in,  and,  at  a  later  hour,  Colonel  Kensell,  chief  of 
staff.  The  General  remained  with  the  army.  From  Colonel  Kensell, 
I  learned  that  Captain  Davis,  formerly  of  our  Seventh  Battery,  had 
been  severely  wounded  by  a  shell.  He  has  been  for  some  months  on 
Brigadier-General  R.  S.  Foster's  staff. 

After  supper,  we  sat  around  a  huge  camp-fire  in  front  of  the  tent, 
talking  of  old  times  and  old  friends,  and  of  the  war,  until  ten  o'clock, 
when  I  retired.  A  tremendous  cannonading  was  heard  in  the  direction 
of  Petersburg,  which  lasted  for  two  hours. 

Oct.  28.  — -Arose  early.  The  morning  was  clear  and  pleasant.  After 
breakfast,  started  with  General  Devens  and  Colonel  Kensell,  Colonel 
Dodge,  and  others  of  the  staff,  to  the  front.  We  rode  about  six  miles 
through  woods,  over  old  cornfields,  by  lines  of  breastworks,  through 
camps,  and  along  the  Farina  and  Darbytown  turnpike,  often  men 
tioned  in  despatches,  until  we  reached  Dr.  Johnson's  farm,  where  we 
found  General  Butler,  and  General  Terry,  who  commands  the  Tenth 
Army  Corps.  General  Butler,  who  appears  in  excellent  health,  re 
ceived  me  very  cordially.  Before  we  arrived,  it  had  been  decided  to 
withdraw  our  forces,  and  retire  within  our  lines  ;  this  was  not  done, 
though,  until  near  noon.  In  the  mean  time,  I  walked  over  the  field  with 
General  Devens,  and  visited  some  of  the  regiments  behind  the  breast 
works.  Our  skirmish  line  was  about  half  a  mile  in  advance.  Con 
siderable  picket-firing  was  kept  up  on  both  sides  ;  we  could  distinctly 
8ee  the  rebel  pickets. 

Several  prisoners  were  brought  into  the  General's  headquarters, 
some  of  whom  he  questioned.  They  had  been  captured  by  the 
colored  troops.  Three  prisoners  belonged  to  the  Hampton  Legion, 
and  one  to  a  South-Carolina  battery.  They  were  asked  if  they  were 
not  afraid  the  black  soldiers  would  kill  them,  and  they  confessed  they 
were.  "  Well,"  said  the  General,  "  you  see  they  didn't.  Now  I  want 
you  to  write  to  your  friends  that  black  men  are  not  murderers,  and 
that,  if  they  do  not  treat  our  black  prisoners  well,  I  will  retaliate  on 
you."  The  South-Carolina  prisoner  had  been  a  merchant,  and,  as  he 
said,  "  a  gentleman."  lie  asked  permission  to  write  to  some  friends 
in  New  York  for  funds,  as  he  was  entirely  without  means.  Leave 
was  granted.  A  colored  man  also  came  in.  He  was  from  Peters 
burg,  and  had  bought  his  way  through  the  rebel  lines  with  a  watch. 


LETTER  FROM  THE  FRONT.  601 

He  still  had  in  his  pocket  a  valuable  gold  watch.  He  said  they  were 
his  master's,  and  he  had  taken  possession  of  them  on  leaving  Peters 
burg.  He  said  he  thought  he  was  "  pretty  smart." 

On  going  back  to  headquarters,  the  entire  staff  rode  with  the  Gen 
eral,  who  was  pleased  to  point  out  many  interesting  localities.  We 
went  back  by  a  different  and  more  circuitous  route,  visited  Fort  Har 
rison,  and  the  immense  line  of  works  of  which  it  forms  an  important 
part.  We  passed  long  lines  of  wagons  and  ambulances.  Arrived  at 
headquarters  at  two  o'clock,  having  rode  about  twenty  miles.  I  had 
been  within  four  miles  of  Richmond.  Dined  with  the  General,  and 
spent  most  of  the  afternoon  with  him.  He  is  enthusiastic  in  his  praise 
of  colored  troops,  and  is  trying  to  have  in  his  command  a  corps  com 
posed  entirely  of  them.  He  said  the  slave  negroes  make  the  best 
soldiers.  The  evening  I  passed  pleasantly  around  the  camp-fire  with 
the  officers,  and  Mr.  Merriam,  the  correspondent  of  the  New-York 
Herald. 

Oct.  29.  —  After  breakfasting  with  the  General,  and  hearing  him 
examine  a  secesh  widow,  who  owned  a  large  farm  in  the  vicinity,  and 
who  asked  to  be  furnished  rations  during  the  winter,  although  she  has 
a  son  in  the  rebel  army,  I  bade  good-by  to  him  and  his  officers,  and, 
taking  my  place  in  an  ambulance,  departed  for  Bermuda  Hundred, 
where  Colonel  Dodge,  provost-marshal  of  the  Army  of  the  James, 
put  the  steamer  "  Reindeer  "  at  my  disposal,  to  take  me  to  City  Point, 
where  I  arrived  about  two  o'clock.  I  immediately  called  at  General 
Grant's  headquarters,  but  he  had  not  returned  from  the  front.  His 
adjutant-general,  however,  furnished  me  with  a  pass  to  any  part  of  the 
Potomac  Army.  He  also  telegraphed  to  General  Meade's  headquar 
ters  to  have  an  ambulance  at  the  station  for  my  use. 

There  are  few  Massachusetts  regiments  or  batteries  in  the  Army 
of  the  James.  Major  Stevens's  battalion  of  the  Fourth  Regiment 
Massachusetts  Cavalry  was  all  I  saw.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
him,  and  I  gave  him  blank  rolls  to  fill  up  and  forward  to  Boston. 

At  three  o'clock,  I  left  City  Point  in  the  cars  for  the  front,  intending 
to  spend  the  night  with  a  friend  and  relative,  Colonel  Charles  S.  Rus 
sell,  Eleventh  United-States  Infantry,  commanding  the  Twenty-eighth 
United-States  Colored  Regiment,  in  the  Ninth  Corps.  The  railroad 
runs  the  entire  length  of  our  lines,  and  the  camps  of  the  different 
corps  are  on  each  side  of  it.  Twelve  miles  from  City  Point  is 
General  Meade's  station.  His  headquarters  are  nearly  a  mile  from 
there.  I  found  the  ambulance  waiting  for  me.  We  drove  to  General 
Meade's  quarters,  and  found  Brigadier-General  Williams,  his  chief-of- 
staff,  and  also  Lieutenant-Colonel  Theodore  Lyman,  a  volunteer  aid, 


602  MASSACHUSETTS   IN   THE    REBELLION. 

who  holds  a  commission  from  your  Excellency  of  assistant  Adjutant- 
General  of  Massachusetts.  General  Meade  was  not  in  his  quarters, 
and  I  did  not  see  him  until  my  return.  I  stayed  nearly  an  hour  with 
General  Williams  and  Colonel  Lyman,  talking  about  our  troops. 
They  are  both  against  raising  new  regiments,  until  those  in  the  field 
are  filled  up.  The  men  of  our  Massachusetts  regiments  and  batteries 
stand  at  least  as  high  as  any  in  the  service.  I  obtained  here  informa 
tion  as  to  the  whereabouts  of  our  Massachusetts  regiments  so  that  I 
could  find  them  out,  which  is  no  easy  thing  to  do,  so  extended  are  our 
lines.  The  shades  of  evening  began  to  fall  when  I  left  in  an  ambu 
lance  for  the  Ninth  Corps.  We  crossed  the  famous  Weldon  Railroad, 
near  General  Warren's  headquarters.  At  seven  o'clock  I  arrived 
safely  at  Colonel  Russell's  camp,  Twenty-eighth  United-States  Colored 
Troops,  who  gave  me  a  soldier's  welcome.  He  also  is  an  enthusiast 
in  favor  of  colored  troops.  After  supper,  he  ordered  his  band  up  to  his 
quarters,  and  it  played  for  over  an  hour.  Not  a  man  of  them  can  read 
a  note,  and  yet  they  made  good  music.  They  are  all  enlisted  men  in 
the  regiment. 

Oct.  30  (Sunday).  —  After  breakfast,  rode  with  Colonel  Russell 
to  the  headquarters  of  the  division,  to  pay  my  respects  to  General 
Ferrara,  who  commands  the  colored  division  ;  and  while  there  our 
brave  friend,  Colonel  McLaughlin,  arrived.  He  commands  a  brigade. 
He  rode  back  with  us  to  see  the  colored  soldiers,  who  had  been  placed 
in  line  that  I  might  see  them.  The  line  extended  nearly  a  mile. 
There  were  upwards  of  five  thousand  men,  each  of  the  six  regiments 
being  full.  After  promising  Colonel  McLaughlin  to  visit  his  camp  in 
the  afternoon,  to  witness  dress-parade,  we  parted. 

I  attended  divine  service  in  the  camp.  Rev.  Garland  White,  an 
enlisted  colored  man,  who  had  just  been  commissioned  chaplain,  led  the 
service.  He  was  "  raised  by  Hon.  Robert  Toombs,  of  Georgia,"  and 
often  went  to  Washington  with  him.  This  preacher  has  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  the  men.  This  regiment  suffered  greatly  at  the  ex 
plosion  of  the  mine,  or,  as  it  is  called  in  the  army,  "  the  crater."  Just 
before  going  in,  Colonel  Russell  requested  the  chaplain  to  address  the 
men,  which  he  did  eloquently  and  with  effect.  He  said :  "  Be  brave, 
do  your  duty,  obey  your  orders.  If  any  of  you  fall,  you  fall  for  the 
liberty  of  your  race.  You  will  go  up  right  away  to  the  Lord  Jesus, 
and  you  will  form  dress-parade  in  Paradise  with  your  officers  and 
brothers  who  fall  with  you,  just  as  though  you  were  in  the  old 
camp." 

The  effect  was  inspiriting  to  the  men,  and  they  fought  like  tigers. 

In  the  afternoon,  I  attended  the  dress-parade  of  Colonel  McLaugh- 


LETTER   FROM   THE    FRONT.  603 

lin's  brigade,  in  which  there  are  the  remains  of  several  of  our 
regiments.  I  also,  at  the  request  of  the  Colonel,  reviewed  the 
brigade,  after  which  we  called  upon  General  Wilcox,  division  com 
mander,  who  has  several  Massachusetts  officers  on  his  staff.  Rode  to  the 
Colonel's  headquarters.  After  supper,  a  large  number  of  our  Massachu 
setts  officers  came  in  and  spent  the  evening.  I  gave  them  instructions 
about  making  out  their  rolls,  and  promised  to  visit  their  camps  the  next 
day,  and  bring  blank  rolls  with  me.  At  ten  o'clock,  Colonel  Russell  and 
I  rode  to  our  quarters,  and  soon  after  retired.  I  must  not  omit  to  men 
tion,  that  Captain  Clarke,  of  the  Twenty-ninth  Regiment,  is  brigade- 
adjutant,  and  he  is  regarded  highly  by  Colonel  McLaughlin. 

Oct.  31.  —  This  day  I  devoted  entirely  to  visiting  our  various  regi 
ments,  and  in  giving  instructions  how  to  make  out  the  rolls  for  the 
payment  of  the  men  who  elected  to  take  the  twenty  dollars  a  month 
State  bounty ;  and  impressed  upon  the  officers  the  importance  of 
having  the  returns  made  regularly.  Those  which  I  saw  were  the 
Fifty-ninth,  Fifty-seventh,  Twenty-ninth,  Thirty -fifth,  Thirty -sixth,  and 
Twenty-first  which  is  consolidated  with  the  Thirty-sixth,  Thirty-second 
which  has  been  consolidated  with  the  Eighteenth,  Twenty-second,  and 
Ninth.  I  also  visited  Captain  Jones  and  the  Eleventh  Battery,  and  found 
both  officers  and  men  in  first-rate  condition.  This  company  has  charge 
of  three  small  forts,  in  the  line  of  works  near  General  Ferrara's 
headquarters.  These  comprise  all  the  Massachusetts  organizations 
I  could  visit  to-day.  I  found  the  men  generally  in  good  health  and 
spirits.  The  consolidation  of  old  regiments  with  new  ones  causes  some 
irritation  ;  but,  on  the  whole,  I  found  a  general  good  feeling  pre 
vailing.  This  being  the  day  for  muster  for  pay,  I  had  a  good  chance 
to  see  the  officers  and  men  ;  and  I  felt  as  proud  as  a  field-marshal  that 
they  bore  in  their  hands  the  honor  and  good  name  of  Massachusetts. 

By  appointment,  dined  with  General  Ferrara,  and  spent  a  very 
agreeable  evening.  Surgeon  Prince,  formerly  of  the  Thirty-sixth 
Massachusetts  Regiment,  is  on  the  General's  staff  as  the  division  sur 
geon.  He  had  been  with  me  most  of  the  day,  and  dined  at  head 
quarters. 

Brigadier-General  Curtin  also  accompanied  me  on  my  visit  to  our 
regiments.  He  has  several  of  them  in  his  brigade.  During  the  day, 
called  upon  Major-General  Parks,  who  succeeded  Major-General 
Burnside  in  command  of  the  Ninth  Corps.  Nothing  could  exceed  the 
cordiality  with  which  I  was  received  by  these  distinguished  gentlemen. 
They  spoke  warmly  in  praise  of  our  Massachusetts  regiments,  and  in 
quired  kindly  after  Governor  Andrew,  whom  they  hoped  soon  to  meet 
in  their  camps. 


604  .       MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

During  the  evening,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Colburn,  of  the  Fifty-ninth, 
came  to  Colonel  Russell's  headquarters  to  see  me  in  relation  to  having 
Sergeant  Gibson  commissioned.  He  spoke  very  highly  of  him.  He 
wished  to  have  him  appointed  major.  Sergeant  Gibson  is  now  acting 
adjutant  of  the  regiment.  He  also  said  there  were  men  enough  in  the 
regiment  to  have  a  colonel  commissioned  and  mustered  in.  I  told  him 

O 

I  had  nothing  to  do  with  appointments  ;  that,  if  the  proper  representa 
tions  were  sent  to  headquarters,  I  had  no  doubt  they  would  receive  a 
fair  consideration  by  your  Excellency. 

Xov.  1.  —  At  ten  o'clock,  I  started  with  Colonel  Russell,  on  my  way 
to  the  Second  Corps  ;  "  Jack,"  a  colored  orderly,  accompanied  us.  I 
had  taken  a  friendly  leave  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Logan,  of  the  regi 
ment,  of  the  colored  chaplain,  "  Elish  "  and  "  Joe,"  orderlies  detailed  at 
regimental  headquarters.  On  our  way,  we  stopped  at  the  headquarters 
of  the  Eleventh  Regulars,  which  had  been  ordered  to  New  York. 
Here  I  met  Lieutenant  Bentzoni,  who  was  for  many  months  stationed 
at  Fort  Independence,  and  other  regular  officers  whom  I  knew.  We 
stopped  here  about  an  hour,  and  then  passed  on  to  Major-General 
Meade's  headquarters,  my  intention  being  to  pass  the  night  with  Colo 
nel  Rivers,  of  the  Massachusetts  Eleventh.  Our  route  lay  for  miles 
through  the  camps  of  the  Second  and  Fifth  Army  Corps,  Hancock's  and 
Warren's.  I  had  a  pleasant  interview  with  General  Meade,  who 
warmly  urged  upon  me  the  importance  of  filling  up  the  old  regiments  ; 
more  men  are  wanted,  our  lines  are  so  greatly  extended ;  necessarily 
so.  Here  I  again  met  Brigadier-General  Williams  and  Colonel  Ly- 
man,  and,  after  a  short  conversation,  parted  with  them,  and  passed  on  to 
the  "  Yellow  House,"  which  is  the  headquarters  of  General  Warren, 
commanding  the  Fifth  Corps.  That  is  on  the  old  Weldon  Railroad, 
and  was  a  tavern  and  depot-station,  six  miles  from  Petersburg.  The 
General  had  gone  to  City  Point ;  but  a  number  of  his  staff  were  pres 
ent,  and  I  was  kindly  received.  Within  a  stone's  throw  of  the  "  Yel 
low  House  "  is  the  camp  of  the  Thirty-second  Massachusetts  ;  I  spent 
a  short  time  with  it,  and  gave  directions  about  the  rolls.  This  once- 
splendid  regiment  has  suffered  severely  during  the  campaign  of  this 
year.  Here  I  parted  with  Colonel  Russell,  who  rode  some  eight  miles 
back  to  his  camp.  He  left  with  me  his  orderly  "  Jack,"  whom  I  found 
a  very  sagacious  and  intelligent  man.  We  passed  on  to  find  the  camp 
of  the  Massachusetts  Eleventh,  and,  after  a  long  search,  we  found  it 
about  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening.  I  stopped  with  Colonel  Rivers  in 
his  tent  that  night. 

Nov.  2.  —  After  breakfast,  called  with  Colonel  Rivers  upon  Briga 
dier-General  McAllister,  whose  headquarters  were  near  by,  and  had  a 


LETTER  FROM  THE  FRONT.  605 

pleasant  conversation  with  him  for  half  an  hour ;  here  we  were  within 
a  mile  and  a  half  of  Petersburg.  Shelling  and  picket-firing  had  been 
going  on  all  night.  Within  a  quarter  of  a  mile  of  the  quarters,  a  new- 
fort  was  being  erected,  on  which  the  "  rebs  "  kept  up  a  constant  fire ; 
still  the  work  went  on.  At  a  distance  I  saw  "  the  crater,"  and,  further 
on,  the  church-steeples  of  Petersburg.  The  rebel  lines  and  pickets 
were  also  in  sight. 

After  giving  instructions  to  Colonel  Rivers  about  the  rolls,  and 
leaving  blanks  on  which  to  make  them  out,  I  took  my  leave,  and  pro 
ceeded  with  my  colored  orderly  to  the  headquarters  of  Major-General 
Hancock,  Second  Army  Corps.  I  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  him  at 
his  headquarters,  and  found  him  a  most  agreeable  gentleman,  and 
every  inch  a  soldier.  Here,  also,  was  Major- General  Miles,  who  went 
out  in  our  Twenty-second  Regiment  a  lieutenant,  and  by  his  bravery 
and  capacity,  has  won  the  double  stars  of  a  major-general ;  here  I  also 
met  Colonel  Macy,  of  the  Twentieth,  who  had  that  morning  been  bre- 
vetted  a  brigadier-general,  an  honor  most  nobly  earned.  I  remained 
here  nearly  an  hour,  and  talked  of  war :  here  again  the  united  senti 
ment  was  "  to  fill  up  the  old  regiments."  From  thence  I  proceeded,  in 
a  rain-storm,  to  Captain  Sleeper's  Tenth  Massachusetts  Battery,  three 
miles  distant.  Two  of  his  lieutenants,  Sawyer  and  Granger,  had  been 
killed  a  few  days  before  :  the  battery,  however,  is  in  good  condition, 
and  the  Captain  in  good  health.  I  remained  with  him  two  hours ; 
gave  directions  about  the  rolls,  left  blanks,  and  said  good-by. 
Here  I  parted  with  my  orderly  "  Jack,"  who,  leading  my  horse,  made 
his  way  back  to  the  Ninth  Corps.  Captain  Sleeper  sent  me  in  an  am 
bulance  to  the  railroad  station,  the  rain  falling  fast.  I  arrived  at  City 
Point  at  seven  o'clock,  and  made  my  way  to  "  the  hotel,"  and  secured  a 
cot  for  the  night.  My  purpose,  however,  was  to  pass  the  night  with 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Walcott,  of  the  Sixty-first ;  but  I  could  find  no 
conveyance  to  take  me  to  his  camp,  and,  the  night  being  dark  and 
rainy,  I  could  not  find  my  way  without  a  guide ;  so  I  made  a  virtue  of 
necessity,  and  stayed  at  "  the  hotel." 

Nov.  3.  —  Still  raining.  After  breakfast,  went  to  General  Grant's 
headquarters,  determined,  if  possible,  to  see  him,  but  failed :  he  had 
been  up  nearly  all  night,  and  had  not  arisen.  This  was  a  disap 
pointment,  as  I  had  to  leave  at  nine  o'clock  for  Washington.  I  left  in 
the  steamer  "  Daniel  Webster,"  a  good  boat ;  had  a  good  state-room, 
although  the  boat  was  crowded  with  officers  and  soldiers  going  home  to 
vote.  I  arrived  at  Washington  the  next  day.  During  the  entire  trip 
the  rain  fell  in  torrents.  Nothing  of  particular  interest  occurred  dur 
ing  the  trip.  I  may  say  here,  that  my  opportunities  were  many ;  the 


606  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

attention  I  received  was  great.  My  disappointments  were,  that  I  did 
not  see  Lieutenant-General  Grant,  and  did  not  see  the  Sixty-first  Regi 
ment  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  Walcott,  who  had  done  me  the  honor  to 
call  his  camp  after  my  name. 

Nov.  4,  Washington.  —  I  found  on  my  return,  several  letters  for 
me  at  the  National  Hotel  about  business  matters  ;  and  spent  the  day  at 
the  War  Department,  and  transacted  all  the  business  I  had  to  do.  I 
found  the  rolls  of  the  heavy  artillery  companies,  as  promised,  at  Colo 
nel  Tufts'  office,  and  brought  them  home  with  me.  On  going  to  the 
cars  that  evening  to  proceed  to  New  York,  I  found  them  filled,  and 
about  five  hundred  on  the  outside  who  could  not  get  either  seats  or 
standing  room,  —  soldiers  from  the  army,  and  clerks  in  the  depart 
ments,  who  were  going  home  to  vote.  They  took  possession  ;  so  I  had 
to  wait  until  the  next  day. 

Nov.  5.  —  Called  upon  the  President,  whom  I  had  not  seen  since  he 
was  inaugurated.  I  had  known  him  when  in  Congress,  and  when  I 
lived  in  the  West.  He  knew  me,  and  I  passed  an  agreeable  half-hour 
with  him.  At  five  o'clock,  I  went  to  the  depot,  half  an  hour  before  the 
cars  started,  but  could  get  no  seat.  They  were  packed  ;  and  I  stood 
up  for  fifteen  hours,  from  Washington  to  Jersey  City. 

Nov.  G.  —  Arrived  at  the  Astor  House  wearied  and  worn.  Made 
a  few  calls  upon  relatives  and  friends,  and,  not  having  slept  for  thirty- 
six  hours,  retired  early. 

Nov.  7.  —  Rained  all  day.  Nothing  talked  of  but  the  presiden 
tial  election.  Left  in  the  Fall  River  steamer  for  home,  and  arrived  at 
Boston. 

Nov.  8.  —  Election  day,  having  been  absent  just  three  weeks.  Had 
travelled  eighteen  hundred  miles,  and  my  expenses  were  just  exactly 
one  hundred  and  forty-three  dollars  and  fifty-five  cents  ($143.55). 

Allow  me  to  conclude  this  hastily  written  report  in  a  few  words. 

To  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Armies  of  the  Potomac  and  James, 
allow  me  to  return  my  sincere  and  grateful  thanks,  for  the  many  kind 
nesses  I  have  received  at  their  hands.  I  shall  cherish  them  in  my 
heart  with  unspeakable  satisfaction  as  long  as  I  shall  live. 

There  never  were  armies  so  well  clothed,  fed,  and  in  better  condi 
tion,  than  the  Armies  of  the  Potomac  and  the  James. 

What  is  universally  demanded  by  officers  and  men  is,  that  the  de 
pleted  regiments  and  batteries  shall  be  filled  up. 

Our  Massachusetts  regiments  and  batteries,  as  a  general  remark, 
are  in  good  health,  and  stand  as  high  as  any  in  the  service. 

The  purpose  of  my  journey,  to  have  our  rolls  made  out  right 
and  promptly,  has  been  accomplished,  so  far  as  time  and  circumstances 


GOVERNOR  ANDREW'S  STAFF.  607 

would  allow  me  to  visit  our  men.     I  could  not  visit  the  army  of  Gen 
eral  Sheridan. 

A  strong  and  universal  wish  I  found  everywhere  expressed,  that 
your  Excellency  should  visit  our  regiments,  and  our  sick  who  are  in 
hospitals. 

With  great  respect,  I  have  the  honor  to  be 

Your  Excellency's  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  SCHOULER,  Adjutant- General. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  commissioned  on  the  staff  of 
the  Governor  daring  the  year  1864  :  — 

George  C.  Trumbull,  of  Boston,  assistant  quartermaster-gen 
eral,  with  the  rank  of  major,  Jan.  4. 

George  R.  Preston,  of  Boston,  assistant  quartermaster-gen 
eral,  with  the  rank  of  major,  Jan.  6.  Major  Preston  died  in 
Boston,  Feb.  25,  1864. 

William  W.  Clapp,  Jr.,  of  Boston,  assistant  quartermaster- 
general,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  Feb.  20. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Harrison  Ritchie,  of  Boston,  senior  aide- 
de-camp  to  the  Governor,  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  colonel, 
May  14. 

William  L.  Candler,  of  Brookline,  aide-de-camp,  with  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  June  10.  Colonel  Candler's  ap 
pointment  was  to  fill  the  vacancy  on  the  Governor's  personal 
staff  occasioned  by  the  resignation  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Hen 
ry  Lee,  Jr.,  who  had  filled  the  position  with  distinguished 
ability  and  untiring  industry  from  April  15,  1861. 

Henry  Ware,  of  Cambridge,  assistant  adjutant-general,  with 
the  rank  of  major,  June  20.  Major  Ware's  duties  were  chiefly 
those  of  assistant  military  secretary  to  the  Governor. 

Frank  E.  Howe,  of  New  York,  assistant  quartermaster-gen 
eral,  with  the  rank  of  colonel,  Aug.  16.  He  had  been  ap 
pointed  on  the  staff  of  the  Governor,  Aug.  23,  1861,  with  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel.  His  promotion  was  in  recognition 
of  his  valuable  services  rendered  to  our  sick  and  wounded  men, 
during  the  entire  period  of  the  Rebellion. 

Richard  A.  Peirce,  of  New  Bedford,  inspector-general,  with 
the  rank  of  brigadier-general. 

Charles  C.  Dunbar,  of  New  Bedford,  assistant  quartermaster- 
general,  with  the  rank  of  captain,  Aug.  1. 


608  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

William  F.  Capelle,  of  Boston,  master  of  ambulance,  with  the 
rank  of  captain,  Xov.  2. 

Warren  L.  Brigham,  of  Westborough,  assistant  adjutant-gen 
eral,  with  the  rank  of  captain,  Aug.  11. 

Robert  R.  Corson,  of  Philadelphia,  assistant  quartermaster- 
general,  with  the  rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  Dec.  9. 

Charles  L.  Bulkley,  of  Boston,  assistant  engineer,  with  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel,  Dec.  12. 

Frank  L.  Pope,  of  Great  Barrington,  assistant  engineer,  with 
rank  of  major,  Dec.  12. 

Colonel  Bulkley  and  Major  Pope  were  engineers  engaged  to 
lay  a  telegraph-wire  to  connect  the  States  with  the  Russian  do 
minions,  and  received  their  commissions  from  the  Governor,  as 
an  honor  due  them  for  undertaking  so  great  and  valuable  an 

O  O 

enterprise. 

J.  F.  B.  Marshall,  of  Weston,  paymaster-general,  with  the 
rank  of  colonel,  Dec.  28. 

Jarvis  D.  Braman,  of  Boston,  assistant  paymaster-general, 
with  the  rank  of  major,  Dec.  29. 

H.  Sidney  Everett,  of  Boston,  assistant  adjutant-general,  with 
the  rank  of  major,  Dec.  30. 

The  year  1864  was  one  of  the  most  important  of  the 
war.  A  presidential  election  had  taken  place  which  resulted  in 
the  triumphant  re-election  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  of  a  Con 
gress  pledged  to  a  vigorous  prosecution  of  the  war ;  General 
Grant  and  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  fought  their  way 
through  Virginia  to  the  lines  before  Petersburg  and  Richmond  ; 
the  Mississippi  had  been  opened  from  its  source  to  its  mouth ; 
and  Sherman,  with  his  Army  of  the  Tennessee  and  the  Cumber 
land,  was  making  his  triumphant  march  to  the  ocean.  The 
Rebellion  was  in  its  death-throes.  Thus  matters  stood  at  the 
close  of  the  year. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

Public  Confidence  —  Meeting  of  the  Legislature  —  Organization  —  Address  of 
Governor  Andrew  —  Acts  passed  by  the  Legislature  —  General  Sargent  — 
Death  of  Edward  Everett  —  Frontier  Cavalry  —  Governor  and  Secretary 
Stanton  —  Abolition  of  Slavery  —  Boston  Harbor  —  Fast  Day  —  Currency 
Question — Proclamation  of  President  Lincoln — Case  of  a  Deserter  —  Let 
ter  from  Secretary  Seward  —  Foreign  Enlistments  —  The  end  of  the  Rebel 
lion  —  Capitulation  of  General  Lee  —  Rejoicings  throughout  the  State  — 
Governor  sends  a  Message  to  the  Legislature —  Meeting  in  Faneuil  Hall  — 
Proposition  for  a  National  Thanksgiving  —  Death  of  President  Lincoln  —  Ac 
tion  of  the  Legislature  —  Governor's  Letter  to  Mrs.  Lincoln —  Original  Copy 
of  General  Lee's  Farewell  Address,  sent  to  the  Governor  by  General  Russell 
—  Death  of  General  Russell — Monument  to  the  First  Martyrs  in  Lowell  — 
Address  of  the  Governor  —  Letter  to  F.  P.  Blair,  Sen.  —  Meeting  at  Faneuil 
Hall  —  Letter  of  the  Governor  —  Reconstruction — Colonel  William  S.Lin 
coln  —  Memorial  Celebration  at  Harvard  —  Letter  to  Mr.  Motley,  Minister  to 
Austria — Miss  Van  Lew  —  Alexander  H.  Stephens  —  Governor  to  President 
Lincoln  —  Relics  of  Colonel  Shaw  —  Letter  to  Colonel  Theodore  Lyman  — 
State  Prisoners  in  Maryland  —  Letter  to  James  Freeman  Clarke  —  Freedman's 
Bureau  —  Emigration  South  —  Letter  to  General  Sherman — Governor's 
Staff —  Governor  declines  Re-election  —  Republican  Convention  —  Demo 
cratic  Convention  —  Reception  of  the  Flags  —  Forefathers'  Day  —  Speech  of 
General  Couch  —  Speech  of  Governor  Andrew  —  Compliment  to  the  Adju 
tant-General —  General  Grant  visits  Massachusetts — Mrs.  Harrison  Gray 
Otis  —  Her  Services  — New-England  Women's  Auxiliary  Association  —  What 
it  did  —  New-England  Rooms.  New  York  —  Massachusetts  Soldiers'  Fund  — 
Boston  Soldiers'  Fund  —  Surgeon-General's  Fund  —  Number  of  Men  sent 
from  Massachusetts  to  the  War —  Governor  Andrew's  Valedictory  Address  — 
Governor  Bullock  inaugurated  —  Last  Military  Order  —  Close  of  the  Chapter. 

THE  year  1865,  the  last  of  the  war,  opened  auspiciously  for  the 
Union  cause.  A  feeling  of  confidence  that  the  war  was  soon  to 
end  appeared  to  inspire  every  loyal  heart.  Our  soldiers  on  the 
march  and  in  the  trenches  felt  it ;  the  farmer,  as  he  drove  his 
"  team  afield,"  felt  it ;  the  mechanic  in  the  workshop,  the  law 
yer  in  his  study,  the  minister  in  the  pulpit,  and  the  capitalist  in 
his  banking-house,  felt  it.  This  general  confidence  and  buoyant 
hope  had  their  origin  and  their  growth  mainly  in  the  fact  of 

3J 


610  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

the  triumphant  re-election  of  President  Lincoln,  and  the  univer 
sal  confidence  reposed  in  Lieutenant-General  Grant,  whose  wise 
and  comprehensive  policy  had  become  known  to  the  people. 

The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  assembled  at  the  State 
House  on  Wednesday,  Jan.  4.  The  Senate  was  called  to  order 
by  Mr.  Wentworth,  of  Middlesex,  and  organized  by  the  choice 
of  Jonathan  E.  Field,  of  Berkshire,  for  President,  who  received 
twenty-five  votes,  and  John  S.  Eldridge,  of  Norfolk,  ten  ;  and 
by  the  choice  of  Stephen  N.  Gifford,  clerk,  who  received  all 
the  votes  that  were  cast.  Mr.  Field,  on  taking  the  chair, 
referred  to  national  matters  in  the  following  words  :  — 

"  The  people  have  decided  that  the  Union  shall  at  all  hazards  be  pre 
served.  No  man  was  bold  enough  to  ask  for  popular  indorsement!, 
who  held  any  other  creed.  By  the  election  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  it  has  been 
settled,  that  from  ocean  to  ocean,  from  Aroostook  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
there  shall  be  but  one  nation.  We  are  not  only  to  have  but  one  flag, 
covering  all  with  its  ample  folds,  but  all  who  live  under  it  are  to  be 
free.  In  a  short  time,  wherever  this  flag  of  the  Union  floats,  there 
will  be  no  involuntary  servitude,  except  for  crime.  The  breeze  that 
opens  its  folds  will  cool  the  brow  of  no  unpaid  toil,  will  fan  the  cheek 
of  no  slave." 

The  House  of  Representatives  was  called  to  order  by  John  I. 
Baker,  of  Beverly,  and  organized  by  the  choice  of  Alexander 
H.  Bullock  for  Speaker,  and  William  S.  Robinson  for  clerk, 
each  of  these  gentlemen  receiving  an  unanimous  vote.  Mr. 
Bullock,  in  his  address  to  the  House  on  taking  the  chair,  thus 
spoke  of  the  state  of  the  country  :  — 

"  GENTLEMEN,  —  I  congratulate  you  upon  the  progress  of  the  na 
tional  arms.  The  end  is  not  yet ;  but  it  is  assured.  The  people  of 
the  United  States,  two  months  ago,  upon  a  review  of  the  four  years  of 
struggle,  pronounced  their  irreversible  decree  that  there  shall  be  but 
one  common  government,  one  civil  condition,  from  the  Lakes  to  the 
Gulf.  The  only  question  remaining  is  a  question  of  time,  and  of 
sacrifice  ;  upon  this,  the  East,  the  West,  and  the  centre,  are  agreed. 
1<  or  the  first  time,  Massachusetts,  Maryland,  and  Missouri  stand  upon 
the  same  platform,  and  support  the  same  theory  of  government.  And 
they  are  united  with  all  the  others.  The  conclusion  of  the  people,  and 
the  advance  of  their  armies,  furnish  the  promise  of  a  restored  unity, 
and  an  absolute  free  republic.  To  this  august  result,  to  this  grand 


GOVERNOR  ANDREW'S  ADDRESS.  611 

vindication  of  the  policy  of  the  fathers,  our  State  has  committed  her 
self  by  her  soldiers  and  by  her  voters. 

"  We  in  this  House  can  add  little  to  the  solemnity  of  the  decision. 
But  I  am  sure  we  will  not  do  any  thing  which  shall  place  us  out  of 
sympathy  with  the  cause  and  with  the  States  which  uphold  it,  nor 
any  thing  which  shall  give  reason  to  our  brave  defenders  to  doubt  our 
determination  to  encourage  and  succor  them,  nor  any  thing  which 
may  cast  one  slight  shadow  upon  our  civil  or  our  martial  fame." 

On  Friday,  Jan.  6,  Governor  Andrew  delivered  his  fifth  and 
last  inaugural  address,  the  opening  paragraph  of  which  ex 
presses  the  confidence  which  he  felt  of  a  speedy  cessation  of 
hostilities.  He  said,  — 

"  By  the  blessing  of  Almighty  God,  the  people  of  Massachusetts 
witness  to-day  the  inauguration  of  a  new  political  year,  under  circum 
stances  in  which  the  victories  of  the  past,  blended  with  bright  and  well- 
grounded  hope  for  the  future,  assure  the  early  return  of  national  peace, 
the  firm  establishment  of  liberty,  and  auspicate  the  lasting  glory  of  the 
republic." 

The  address  of  the  Governor  was  an  exhaustive  review  of 
the  services  and  sacrifices  of  Massachusetts  in  the  war,  of  her 
financial  condition,  and  of  the  educational  and  industrial  prog 
ress  which  had  been  made  during  the  period  of  his  adminis 
tration.  The  war-debt  amounted  to  nearly  fourteen  and  a  half 
millions  of  dollars,  much  the  larger  part  of  which  was  held  by 
our  own  citizens. 

"  All  the  scrip,"  said  the  Governor,  "  issued  by  Massachusetts,  she  is 
bound  to  pay ;  and  she  will  pay,  both  interest  and  principal,  in  gold,  to 
all  holders,  with  the  cheerfulness  which  becomes  her  spotless  honor,  and 
the  promptness  of  an  industrious,  economical,  and  thrifty  common 
wealth." 

The  Governor  then  refers,  in  this  connection,  to  the  increased 
deposits  in  our  savings  institutions,  and  says,  — 

"  So  that  the  very  depositors  of  savings,  out  of  this  increased  aggre 
gate  of  their  modest  earnings  saved  and  deposited,  could  lend  money 
enough  to  pay  the  whole  war-debt  of  the  Commonwealth,  and  have 
left  on  deposit  as  much  as  they  had  when  the  war  began,  and  more  than 
three  millions  of  dollars  besides." 

The  Governor  closed  his  address   with  an  eloquent  tribute 


612  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

to    the   services   of   our    officers   and    soldiers,    from  which  we 
quote  :  — 

"  In  the  vestibule  of  the  Capitol  of  the  Commonwealth,  you  pass  to 
this  hall  of  your  deliberations  beneath  a  hundred  battle-flags,  war 
worn,  begrimed,  and  bloody.  They  are  sad  but  proud  memorials  of 
the  transcendent  crime  of  the  Rebellion,  the  curse  of  slavery,  the  elas 
tic  energy  of  a  free  Commonwealth,  the  glory  and  the  grief  of  war. 
There  has  been  no  loyal  army,  the  shout  of  whose  victory  has  not 
drowned  the  dying  sigh  of  a  son  of  Massachusetts.  There  has  been 
no  victory  gained  which  her  blood  has  not  helped  to  win.  Since  the 
war  began,  four  hundred  and  thirty-four  officers,  whose  commissions 
bore  our  seal,  or  who  were  promoted  by  the  President  to  higher  than  re 
gimental  commands,  have  tasted  death  in  the  defence  of  their  country's 
flag.  The  names  of  nine  general  officers,  sixteen  colonels,  seven 
teen  lieutenant-colonels,  twenty  majors,  six  surgeons,  nine  assistant- 
surgeons,  two  chaplains,  one  hundred  and  ten  captains,  and  two 
hundred  and  forty-five  lieutenants,  illustrate  their  roll  of  honor  ;  nor 
will  the  history  be  deemed  complete,  nor  our  duty  done,  until  the  fate 
and  fame  of  every  man,  to  the  humblest  private  of  them  all,  shall 
have  been  inscribed  upon  the  records  of  this  Capitol,  there  to  remain, 
I  trust,  until  the  earth  and  sea  shall  give  up  their  dead  ;  and  thus  shall 
the  Capitol  itself  become  for  every  soldier-son  of  ours  a  monument. 
.  .  .  And  whatever  may  hereafter  tide,  or  befall  me  or  mine,  MAY  THE 

GOD  OF  OUR  FATHERS  PRESERVE  OUR  COMMONWEALTH." 

The  roll  of  honor  was  not  yet  completed,  when  Governor 
Andrew's  address  was  delivered.  Many  of  our  brave  and 
gallant  officers  and  men  were  yet  to  "taste  of  death,"  be 
fore  the  day  of  our  deliverance  should  come.  The  Army  of  the 
Potomac  was  yet  in  the  trenches  before  Petersburg  and  Kich- 
mond,  and  Lee  held  the  Confederate  Capitol ;  Sherman  had  not 
yet  completed  his  gallant  march  to  the  sea,  and  Thomas  still 
faced  the  enemy  behind  his  breast-works  in  front  of  Nashville. 
But  in  April,  before  the  apple-trees  of  New  England  had  put 
forth  their  leaves  and  blossoms,  the  Confederate  armies  had  laid 
down  their  arms  at  the  demand  of  Grant  and  Sherman,  but  not 
before  many  of  the  sons  of  Massachusetts  and  of  other  loyal 
States  had  offered  up  their  precious  lives,  and  watered  the 
greensward  of  the  South  with  their  blood. 

We    will   state  here   that    the  number  of  officers  who  were 


NEW    GENERAL    ORDER.  613 

killed  or  died  in  the  military  service  from  Massachusetts  was 
four  hundred  and  forty-two  ;  and  the  number  of  enlisted  men 
was  twelve  thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty-four.  This  is  as 
near  as  can  be  ascertained,  up  to  the  present  time.  The  num 
ber  of  officers  and  men  who  were  wounded,  and  lost  limbs  in 
the  service,  and  who  are  seen  in  the  daily  walks  of  life  going 
quietly  about  their  business,  or  modestly  pacing  our  streets,  has 
not  been  accurately  ascertained  ;  but  it  is  fair  to  state,  that  they 
outnumber  in  a  large  degree  those  who  fell  in  battle,  or  died  of 
starvation  and  of  hope  deferred  in  the  prison-houses  of  the 
South. 

Several  acts  were  passed  by  the  Legislature  during  the  ses 
sion,  in  relation  to  our  soldiers,  which  were  chiefly  amendatory 
of  acts  passed  in  previous  years,  of  which  it  is  not  necessary  or 
important  to  give  even  an  abstract.  Every  thing  had  been 
done  which  the  wise  foresight  of  a  generous  Commonwealth  for 
the  encouragement  of  enlistments,  a  tender  regard  for  the  in 
terests  of  our  soldiers,  and  those  depending  on  them  for  sup 
port,  made  necessary  and  expedient.  This,  however,  did  not 
prevent  the  Governor  from  doing  what  was  in  his  power  for  the 
brave  men  who  had  served  their  country. 

On  the  6th  of  January,  the  day  after  the  Governor  had 
delivered  his  annual  address,  he  caused  General  Order  No.  1 
to  be  issued,  wrhich  set  forth  that  — 

"  Disabled  officers  and  men  of  our  army  have  difficulty,  upon  their 
return  to  civil  life,  in  finding  employment  for  their  support ;  many 
being  prevented  by  wounds  or  sickness  from  resuming  their  former 
occupations.  These  cases  are  of  painful  frequency,  and  have  caused 
much  anxious  thought  to  devise  some  method  of  aiding  to  place  them 
in  positions  where  such  labor  as  they  are  still  capable  of  performing 
may,  with  their  Government  pensions,  render  them  independent." 

The  order  then  goes  on  to  state  that  a  registry  of  the  names 
of  the  disabled  officers  and  men  should  be  kept  in  the  office 
of  the  surgeon-general,  so  that  any  person  having  at  his  dis 
posal  a  situation  which  might  be  filled  by  one  of  these  disabled 
men  might  consult  it,  and  give  the  place  to  such  a  one  as  he 
might  prefer.  This  was  called  the  "Bureau  of  Military  Em- 


614  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

ployment,"  which,  through    the    active    exertions  of  Surgeon- 
General  Dale,  was  the  means  of  doing  incalculable  good. 

On  the  14th  of  January,  the  Governor  wrote  to  the  Presi 
dent  recommending  the  appointment  to  the  office  of  second 
assistant  Secretary  of  War  —  an  office  which  had  just  been 
created  by  an  act  of  Congress  —  Brigadier-General  Horace 
Binney  Sargent.  In  doing  so,  he  paid  the  following  well- 
merited  compliment  to  that  brave  and  gallant  officer:  — 

"  He  was,"  said  the  Governor,  "  originally  a  member  of  our  bar, 
of  the  best  education  and  culture,  and  became,  on  my  accession  to 
office,  my  senior  aide-de-camp,  helping  to  inaugurate  the  difficult  work 
of  the  first  year  of  the  war ;  in  which  capacity  he  attached  me 
warmly  by  his  attractive  qualities  as  a  gentleman,  and  won  my  ad 
miration  by  his  talents,  devotedness  to  duty,  his  personal  fidelity,  and 
manly  character.  He  was  subsequently  lieutenant-colonel,  and  then 
colonel,  of  the  First  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  in  which  he  saw  much 
active  service  in  the  field.  He  was  severely  wounded  in  the  Louis 
iana  campaign,  received  the  brevet  rank  of  brigadier-general  of  volun 
teers,  and  has  been  honorably  discharged  from  the  service  by  reason 
of  his  wounds.  I  heartily  commend  General  Sargent  to  the  President 
for  any  position  where  the  qualities  of  a  strong  and  cultivated  mind,  a 
dauntless  will,  and  a  tireless  capacity  for  work,  are  wanted." 

We  take  pleasure  in  presenting  this  letter  to  our  readers, 
because  it  speaks  only  the  plain  and  simple  truth  of  a  gentle 
man  with  whom  we  were  associated  on  the  staff  of  Governor 
Andrew,  and  also  of  that  of  his  predecessor,  Governor  Banks, 
and  whose  acquaintance  and  friendship  we  greatly  esteem. 

We  believe  that  it  was  written  without  the  knowledge  of 
General  Sargent,  and  that  he  is  not  now  aware  of  its  exist 
ence. 

On  the  16th  of  January,  Edward  Everett,  one  of  the  most 
distinguished  citizens  of  the  nation,  died  in  the  city  of  Boston, 
after  a  short  illness.  The  sudden  death  of  tin's  illustrious 
man,  whose  whole  life  had  reflected  honor  upon  his  native 
State  and  his  country,  caused  a  profound  sensation.  His 
speeches  during  the  war  kept  alive  and  invigorated  the  loyal 
spirit  and  purpose  of  the  people. 

On  the  17th  of  January,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Sena 
tor  Sumner  as  follows  :  — 


DEATH    OF   MR.    EVERETT. 

"  Should  it  be  the  purpose  of  the  President,  or  of  either  of  the  Cabi 
net  ministers,  to  honor  Boston  with  their  presence  on  the  occasion  of  Mr. 
Everett's  funeral,  to  which  they  have  been  invited,  please  telegraph 
me  so  that  this  Department  may  be  suitably  notified." 

On  the  18th  of  January,  the  Governor  received  the  following 
telegram  from  Secretary  Seward  :  — 

"  It  is  impracticable  for  the  President  and  the  Cabinet  to  leave  the 
Capitol  to  attend  the  funeral.  The  President  of  the  United  States 
and  the  heads  of  departments  tender  to  the  Commonwealth  of  Massa 
chusetts  their  condolence  on  the  lamented  death  of  Edward  Everett, 
who  was  worthy  to  be  enrolled  among  the  noblest  of  the  nation's 
benefactors." 

We  will  only  add,  that  the  death  of  Mr.  Everett  was  prop 
erly  noticed,  not  only  by  the  Executive  and  the  Legislature,  but 
by  the  various  literary,  scientific,  and  historical  associations,  and 
by  the  people  throughout  the  Commonwealth. 

In  the  month  of  December,  1864,  a  battalion  of  cavalry  was 
raised,  intended  for  service  on  the  frontier  line  of  New  York 
and  Vermont,  as  a  raid  was  expected  from  rebels  gathered  in 
the  Canadas.  The  battalion  was  completed  and  mustered  in  on 
the  2d  of  January,  1865  ;  and  Colonel  Burr  Porter,  formerly  in 
command  of  the  Third  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  was  appointed 
major.  Two  battalions  were  raised  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
to  which  the  Massachusetts  battalion  was  attached ;  and  the 
three  battalions  were  known  as  and  designated  the  Twenty- 
sixth  Regiment,  New- York  Volunteer  Cavalry.  They  were 
mustered  in  for  one  year's  service.  So  eager  were  our  young 
men  to  join  this  command,  that  a  surplus  of  upwards  of  three 
hundred  men  were  left  in  camp  at  Readville,  after  the  battalion 
had  been  completed  to  the  maximum.  Governor  Andrew  was 
anxious  to  have  these  men  accepted  by  the  Secretary  of  War, 
and  organized  into  companies.  The  Governor's  military  secre 
tary,  Colonel  Browne,  who  was  in  Washington,  was  requested 
by  the  Governor  to  call  upon  Secretary  Stanton,  and  obtain 
from  him  permission  to  have  the  men  accepted.  He  called  upon 
the  Secretary  witb  Senator  Wilson ;  and  it  appears,  from  his 
letter  to  the  Governor,  Jan.  21,  that  the  Secretary  not  only 
refused  to  accept  them,  but  received  the  proposition  with  a  de- 


616  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

gree  of  rudeness  altogether  unexpected  and  uncalled  for.  Colo 
nel  Browne's  letter  gives  a  detailed  account  of  the  interview, 
which,  though  interesting,  we  refrain  from  quoting. 

On  the  24th  of  January,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Colonel 
Browne,  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  his  letter,  and  commented 
at  considerable  length  upon  "  the  extraordinary  character  of  the 
language  reported  by  you  that  was  used  by  Mr.  Stanton,  in  re 
spect  to  the  surplus  cavalry  men  at  'Camp  Meigs.'"  The  letter 
of  the  Governor  is  a  model  of  dignified  and  argumentative 


statement.  He  goes  over  the  whole  ground  in  regard  to  the 
enlistment  of  these  men,  and  shows  that  they  were  enlisted 
under  proper  authority  from  the  War  Department,  and  by  the 
United-States  officers  stationed  in  Massachusetts  for  that  duty. 
The  letter  concludes  as  follows  :  — 

"  I  presume  that  every  word  he  said  was  hasty,  inadvertent,  and 
would  be  regretted,  if  he  was  reminded  of  the  conversation.  While  I 

£5 

entertain  no  personal  feeling,  I  think  it  my  duty  not  to  overlook  his 
remarks.  I  have  no  riMit  to  regard  such  treatment  of  the  State,  and 

&  ^  7 

those  who  are  charged  with  its  service,  as  in  any  sense  personal.  I  can 
only  regard  it  officially,  and  must  maintain  the  dignity  and  rights  of 
the  Commonwealth  and  her  people,  so  far  as  they  are  intrusted  to  my 
care." 

It  is  perhaps  proper  here  to  state  that  it  was  impossible,  dur 
ing  a  war  so  great  as  this  was,  that  there  should  not  have  been 
at  times  borne  irritation  of  mind  and  hasty  remarks  made  by 
those  in  high  positions,  upon  whose  shoulders  rested  so  great  a 
responsibility.  As  regards  Governor  Andrew  and  Secretary 
Stanton,  they  were  both  able,  earnest,  and  positive  men,  who 
had  the  good  of  the  country  at  heart,  and  whose  plans  some 
times  crossed  each  other.  But  we  are  positive  that  they  always 
entertained  a  high  respect  for  each  other,  and  the  little  differ 
ences  which  occasionally  arose  between  them  rather  served  to 
bring  out  their  good  and  strong  points  than  to  cause  permanent 
alienation.  Both  gentlemen  were  borne  down  and  harassed  with 
weighty  duties,  sufficient  to  distract  calm  thought  and  consid 
erate  remark.  We  know  that,  notwithstanding  the  conflict  of 
views  which  sometimes  took  place  between  them,  Governor 
Andrew  entertained  for  Secretary  Stanton  a  high  regard,  both 
officially  and  personally,  which  was  fully  reciprocated. 


RECRUITING    IN    REBEL    STATES.  617 

In  January  of  this  year,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States 
had  adopted  the  amendment  to  the  Constitution  abolishing  sla 
very  and  involuntary  servitude,  except  for  crime.  On  the  1st  of 
February,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  President  Lincoln, — 

"  Will  you  telegraph  so  that  I  may  know  as  nearly  as  possible  the 
moment  you  will  sign  the  resolution  for  amending  the  Constitution  ?  I 
desire  to  echo  it  immediately  by  a  national  salute  on  Boston  Common, 
with  a  chorus  of  all  the  church-bells  of  Massachusetts." 

On  the  3d  of  February,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Presi 
dent  Lincoln,  — 

"  Massachusetts  has  to-day  ratified  the  constitutional  amendment 
abolishing  slavery,  by  a  unanimous  yea  and  nay  vote  of  both  branches 
of  the  Legislature ;  the  Democrats  voting  affirmatively." 

About  the  middle  of  February,  a  proposition  was  made,  in 
the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  to  repeal  the  law  allowing  the 
loyal  States  to  enlist  colored  men  for  their  quotas  in  the  rebel 
States.  Among  the  Senators  who  advocated  the  proposition 
was  Mr.  Saulsbury,  of  Delaware.  In  the  course  of  his  speech, 
he  arraigned  the  government  of  Massachusetts  as  "  selfishly  en 
deavoring  to  get  colored  troops  to  its  own  credit  against  the 
public  interest ;  that  it  was  trying  to  recruit  men  in  Savannah 
ahead  of  the  United  States  ; "  and  this  was  made  the  ground  for 
repealing  the  section  allowing  recruiting  in  rebel  States. 
On  the  18th  of  February,  the  Governor  wrote  to  John  B.  Alley, 
Representative  in  Congress  from  the  Essex  district,  calling  his 
attention  to  Mr.  Saulsbury's  speech,  and  said,  — 

"  As  the  matter  will  be  sure  to  come  up  in  the  House,  I  want  our 
delegation  to  know  that  I  in  fact  tried  hard  to  push  on  and  forward  the 
United-States  War  Department  itself.  I  did  not  try  to  get  my  officers 
in  ahead  of  Mr.  Stan  ton's.  What  I  always  aim  at  and  want  is,  first, 
the  recruitment  of  the  army  ;  second,  the  employment  of  colored 
troops  ;  third,  the  procuring  of  men  to  the  credit  of  Massachusetts.  I 
pray  you  to  read  these  papers,  and  protect  the  right  as  occasion  may 
offer." 

The  protection  of  Boston  Harbor,  as  the  readers  of  this  vol 
ume  may  know,  was  one  of  the  darling  objects  of  the  Governor 
from  the  beginning  of  the  war.  Through  the  agency  of  John 


618  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

M.  Forbes  and  Colonel  Ritchie,  Massachusetts  had  received 
from  England  a  number  of  heavy  guns,  which  the  Governor 
wished  to  have  placed  in  position,  with  proper  earthworks,  on 
Long  Island  Plead.  On  the  2d  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote 
to  John  M.  Forbes,  who  was  then  in  Washington,  inclosing  him 
a  copy  of  some  memoranda  made  by  Colonel  Browne,  of  a  con 
versation  had  with  General  Totten,  in  Boston,  in  September, 
1863,  which  bore  directly  on  the  point  of  the  construction  of  a 
work  on  Long  Island  Head  to  receive  our  guns.  The  Gov 
ernor  asked  Mr.  Forbes  to  consider  the  propriety  of  getting  the 
Engineer  Bureau  to  design  an  earthwork  for  us  to  erect  there  at 
our  own  cost,  with  an  estimate  of  the  necessary  outlay.  The 
Governor  said,  — 

"I  wish  that  you  could  get  General  Dyer  to  take  our  guns,  and  have 
carriages  constructed  for  them,  and  mount  them.  The  Ordnance  Bureau 
would  need  no  special  appropriation  for  such  carriages,  but  could,  out  of 
existing  appropriations,  authorize  Major  Rodman,  U.S.A.  [then  in  com 
mand  of  the  United-States  Arsenal  at  Watertown],  to  build  them.  We 
do  not  ask  them  to  say  that  they  will  pay  for  the  guns,  and  we  do  not 
ask  them  to  build  the  earthworks.  We  simply  want  to  have  the  benefit 
of  the  defensive  power  of  those  guns  in  position.  It  seems  to  me  that 
the  United-States  Government  ought  to  stick  to  something,  especially 
when  it  would  incur  no  expense  in  so  doing." 

We  have  no  doubt  that  what  was  asked  for  by  the  Governor 
would  have  been  granted,  had  not  the  Rebellion,  in  a  few  weeks 
after  the  letter  was  written,  been  suppressed. 

The  following  letter,  although  it  has  no  special  bearing  upon 
the  war,  we  cannot  refrain  from  quoting,  as  it  shows  in  a  prac 
tical  manner  the  catholic  and  liberal  spirit  which  ever  animated 
the  mind  and  action  of  our  truly  great  Governor.  On  the  7th 
of  March,  Governor  Andrew  wrote  to  Governor  Smith,  of  Ver 
mont,  — 

"  I  have  already  proposed  Good  Friday  to  the  Executive  Council, 
who  do  not  consent  to  it,  but  favor  Thursday,  the  day  previous.  If, 
however,  you  and  others  adopt  Good  Friday,  perhaps  they  may  be  will 
ing  to  change,  in  view  that  that  day,  on  the  whole,  more  convenient. 
It  was  objected  to,  as  being  a  possibly  improvident  act,  tending  to  cre 
ate  the  suspicion  of  conceding  a  Puritan  custom  to  fast  on  Thursday, 


STATE    FINANCES.  619 

in  favor  of  a  Catholic  and  Episcopal  practice  of  fasting  on  Friday. 
Personally,  I  think  Good  Friday  the  proper  day  to  select,  it  being  of 
no  consequence  to  the  general  public  that  it  should  be  Thursday  in 
stead  of  Friday.  I  am  in  favor  of  the  latter,  and  believe,  by  adopting 
a  day  sacred  by  religious  associations  in  the  eyes  of  certain  denomi 
nations,  it  will  be  better  observed  ;  while  it  is  of  some  consequence  to 
have  the  most  solemn  day  of  the  '  Christian  year '  thus  recognized  to 
those  with  whom  its  observation  is  a  matter  of  conscience." 

It  is  proper  to  remark,  that  this  letter  is  very  imperfectly 
copied  in  the  letter-press  book ;  but  we  have  endeavored  to 
fill  up  the  omissions  so  as  to  keep  unbroken  the  thread  of 
the  statement.  The  letter  had  reference  to  the  appointment 
of  the  annual  fast  day.  Good  Friday  was  not  set  apart,  as  de 
sired  by  the  Governor  ;  but  the  fast  was  held  as  usual  on  Thurs 
day.  Governor  Andrew  was  a  Unitarian. 

On  the  10th  of  March,  General  Order  No.  5  was  issued  in 
accordance  with  a  requisition  of  the  War  Department  to  raise 
one  regiment  of  infantry  for  one  year's  service,  and  for  thirty 
companies  of  infantry  to  recruit  old  regiments.  The  new  regi 
ment  was  designated  the  Sixty-second,  of  which  Colonel  Ansel 
D.  Wass,  formerly  of  the  Nineteenth,  and  still  later  of  the 
Sixtieth,  Regiment,  was  commissioned  colonel ;  and  Lieuten 
ant-Colonel  I.  Harris  Hooper,  late  of  the  Fifteenth  Regiment, 
was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel.  This  regiment,  and 
the  unattached  companies,  were  never  organized,  in  consequence 
of  the  suppression  of  the  Rebellion,  which  happened  a  few 
weeks  after  the  order  was  issued. 

On  the  13th  of  March,  the  Governor  wrote  to  John  M. 
Forbes  in  relation  to  the  question  of  currency  and  a  loan  to 
the  State,  a  bill  in  regard  to  which  was  then  before  the  Com 
mittee  on  Finance  of  the  Legislature.  He  said,  — 

"I  proposed  last  year  the  issue  from  our  Treasury  of  five  per 
cent  gold-bearing  scrip,  and  strained  the  law  to  make  short  six 
per  cent  currency  scrip  instead,  because  no  one  will  ever  pay  any 
large  premium  for  gold-bearing  scrip,  even  when  gold  was  nearly 
three  to  one,  arid  I  wanted  to  save  to  the  Commonwealth  the  enormous 
premium  gold  would  have  cost  us.  Six  per  cent  in  currency  is  about 
half  what  our  interest  account  would  have  been.  Moreover,  I  thought 


620  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

it  poor  policy  for  Massachusetts  to  become  a  needless  competitor  in 
the  gold  market,  and  thus  help  to  increase  the  inflation." 

The  letter  concluded  as  follows  :  — 

'*  When  we  get  ready  to  issue  our  six  per  cent  currency  bonds,  I 
think  I  must  take  hold  of  the  thing  myself.  ...  I  want,  if  I  can,  to  find 
out  the  best  method  of  feeling  and  of  manipulating  the  market ;  the 
best  agency  for  modus  operandi  of  popularizing  the  loan,  and  getting  it 
rapidly  absorbed,  and  to  endeavor  to  impress  the  treasury  personally 
both  with  snap  and  with  discretion,  desiring  earnestly  to  bring  things 
up  as  tight  and  snug  as  may  be  before  my  year  is  out.  Can  you  make 
any  suggestions  in  this  connection  ?  And  who  are  the  best  people  to 
talk  with  likely  to  be  competent  and  willing  to  help,  with  good  ideas 
or  otherwise  ?  " 

In  the  early  part  of  March,  President  Lincoln  issued  a 
proclamation  in  regard  to  deserters  from  the  army ;  promising 
the  forgiveness  of  their  crime,  if  they  would  return  to  their 
duty  within  a  specified  period  named  in  the  proclamation.  On 
the  23d  of  March,  Governor  Andrew  wrote  to  the  President 
upon  this  subject,  recommending  to  him  to  apply  the  prin 
ciple  of  amnesty  to  all  enlisted  men  who  had  been  tried  by 
courts-martial  for  desertion,  and  who  were  serving  their  terms 
of  imprisonment  for  their  offences .  The  Governor  urges  the 
adoption  of  this  policy  at  considerable  length  and  with  great 
power,  in  the  course  of  which  he  calls  the  attention  of  the 
President  to  the  case  of  an  enlisted  man  belonging  to  the  Third 
Regiment  Massachusetts  Heavy  Artillery  who  had  been  tried  by 
court-martial  for  being  absent  without  leave,  and  whose  sen 
tence  was  "to  be  dishonorably  discharged  from  the  service,  to 
be  confined  at  hard  labor  in  the  Clinton,  N.Y.,  State  prison  for 
six  years  ;  the  first  twenty  days  of  each  and  every  month  to 
wear  a  24-pound  ball  attached  to  his  leg  by  a  chain  three 
feet  in  length,  and  to  forfeit  all  allowances."  Colonel  Gardiner 
Tufts,  our  State  agent  at  Washington,  who  knew  the  man  and 
had  examined  the  case,  had  written  to  the  Governor  that  he 
was  a  good  and  faithful  soldier,  "  one  who  has  been  and  can 
be  trusted  to  go  into  the  city  without  guard."  The  Governor 
had  previously  called  the  attention  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to 
this  sentence  in  strong  and  indignant  language.  Major  Burt, 


FOREIGN    ENLISTMENTS.  621 

the  Judge-Advocate  of  the  Commonwealth,  had  also  examined 
the  case,  and  his  letter  to  Judge  Holt,  at  the  head  of  the 
Bureau  of  Military  Justice,  in  regard  to  it  was  most  able  and 
convincing.  In  the  letter  of  the  Governor  to  the  President  is 
this  paragraph  :  — 

"This  inhuman  sentence  could  not  be  imposed  by  a  judge  of  the 
highest  judicial  tribunal  of  this  Commonwealth  for  any  crime.  But  I 
understand  the  court-martial  that  imposed  this  sentence  was  presided 
over  by  a  '  captain  '  in  the  service.  Such  things  ought  not  to  be. 
.  .  .  You  know  how  extremely  uncertain  these  tribunals  have  proved 
for  the  purposes  of  justice,  and  I  trust  your  knowledge  and  experience 
will  be  availed  of  to  work  out  some  broad  and  generous  relief  for  the 
poor  private  soldier,  who  has  neither  the  means  nor  the  friends  to 
present  his  individual  case,  and  the  special  hardships  he  suffers  ;  but 
who  is,  nevertheless,  entitled,  from  his  utter  dependence  and  lowliness, 
to  the  kindest  consideration  of  his  commander-in-chief,  whenever  op 
portunities  present  themselves  for  its  proper  exercise." 

The  soldier  whose  case  is  here  referred  to  was  pardoned  by 
the  President,  and  the  finding  of  the  court-martial  set  aside. 

We  find  on  the  files  of  the  Governor  several  letters  from 
Secretary  Seward,  in  regard  to  certain  men  who  came  to 
Boston  from  Belgium  and  other  countries  on  the  continent  of 
Europe,  and  enlisted  in  Massachusetts  regiments.  These  men 
were  brought  here  in  steamers  by  a  Boston  firm,  partly  from 
patriotic  motives,  and  partly  for  speculative  purposes.  There 
were  about  a  thousand  altogether.  The  men,  before  coming  on 
board  the  vessels,  signed  papers  pledging  themselves  to  enter 
into  employment,  the  nature  of  which  was  not  clearly  stated  in 
the  papers  which  they  signed  ;  but  it  was  stated  by  the  firm  re 
ferred  to,  that  the  men  understood  that  they  were  to  enlist  as 
soldiers.  Upon  their  arrival  in  Boston,  these  men,  with  a  few 
exceptions,  did  enter  the  volunteer  service,  and  were  mustered 
in  by  the  United-States  mustering  officers.  Their  passages  to 
this  country  cost  them  nothing ;  but  the  parties  who  brought 
them  here  were  remunerated  for  their  outlay  by  the  State  paying 
them  the  bounties  provided  by  law,  which  amounted  to  three 
hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  to  each  man,  which  made  the 
speculation  a  profitable  one.  These  men  were  brought  here  in 


622  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

the  year  1864.  After  they  had  enlisted,  and  were  mustered 
into  the  service,  some  of  them  complained  that  they  had  been 
deceived,  and  that  they  had  been  forced  into  the  army  against 
their  will,  and  had  been  brought  to  this  country  by  false  repre 
sentations.  It  is  not  our  purpose  to  decide  whether  these  com 
plaints  were  just  or  not :  it  is  sufficient  to  say  that  they  were 
made,  and  were  brought  to  the  attention  of  Secretary  Seward 
by  the  gentlemen  representing  the  governments  to  which  these 
men  belonged,  and  by  him  to  the  attention  of  Governor  Andrew. 
The  correspondence  shows  very  clearly,  that  no  blame  could 
properly  be  attached  to  the  State  Government,  or  to  the  United- 
States  officers  who  had  mustered  them  into  the  service.  It  ap 
pears  that  the  explanations  made  by  Governor  Andrew,  and  the 
mercantile  firm  who  had  brought  the  men  to  this  country,  were 
satisfactory,  as  none  of  the  men  were  discharged  from  the  ser 
vice  ;  and,  after  a  while,  the  controversy  ceased. 

We  have  always  regarded  the  enlistment  of  these  foreigners 
as  unfortunate,  as  it  reflected  in  some  degree  upon  the  patriotism 
of  the  people  of  Massachusetts,  and  afforded  to  the  enemies  of 
the  Commonwealth  an  opportunity  for  disparaging  remarks.  It 
was  the  only  transaction  during  the  war,  connected  with  the  en 
listment  of  men  to  fill  the  quota  of  the  State,  which  required 
explanation,  and  which  was  of  questionable  propriety. 

We  have  now  reached  the  culminating  point  of  the  war. 
For  four  long  and  weary  years  the  energies  of  the  Common 
wealth,  its  mind,  and  its  wealth,  had  been  devoted  to  the 
suppression  of  a  Rebellion  whose  gigantic  proportions  were  with 
out  parallel  in  the  history  of  Christian  nations.  There  had 
been  no  cessation  of  labor  and  effort,  no  holding  back  of  means 
and  men,  for  the  national  defence.  The  magnitude  of  the  Re 
bellion,  and  the  firm  determination  of  the  people  of  Massa 
chusetts  to  suppress  it,  had  absorbed  all  other  questions,  and 
obliterated  from  the  public  mind  all  minor  issues. 

On  the  3d  of  April,  Governor  Andrew  received  the  following 
telegram  from  Secretary  Stanton  :  — 

"  The  following  telegram  from  the  President  announcing  the  evacu 
ation  of  Petersburg,  and  probably  of  Richmond,  has  just  been  re 
ceived  by  this  Department :  '  City  Point,  Virginia,  3d,  8.30,  A.M.  — 


THE  FALL  OF  THE  REBELLION.  623 

This  morning  General  Grant  reports  Petersburg  evacuated,  and  he  is 
confident  Richmond  also  is.  He  is  pushing  forward  to  cut  off,  if  pos 
sible,  the  retreating  army.  A.LINCOLN.'  Later.  —  It  appears  by  the 
despatch  of  General  Weitzell,  just  received  by  the  Department,  that 
our  forces  under  his  command  are  in  Richmond,  having  taken  it  at  8.35 
this  morning.  EDWIN  M.  STANTON." 

Immediately  upon  the  receipt  of  this  important  and  gratify 
ing  information,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  Mr.  Stanton  :  — 

"  I  give  you  joy  on  these  triumphant  victories.  Our  people,  by  a 
common  impulse,  abandoned  business  to-day,  for  thanksgiving  and  re 
joicing.  The  colored  man  received  last  got  in  first,  and  thus  is  the 
Scripture  fulfilled." 

The  last  sentence  in  the  Governor's  telegram  refers  to  the 
colored  division  in  Weitzel's  corps,  which  was  said  to  be  the 
first  infantry  to  enter  Richmond. 

The  information  of  the  fall  of  Richmond,  the  advance  of  the 
Union  army,  and  the  retreat  of  Lee,  was  everywhere  received 
with  the  wildest  demonstrations  of  delight,  but  nowhere  more 
than  in  the  city  of  Boston.  State  Street  and  the  Merchants' 
Exchange  were  thronged  with  excited  people.  The  newspaper 
offices  were  crowded,  and  the  bulletin  boards  on  which  was 
written  "Richmond  occupied  by  the  Union  forces,"  were  looked 
at  and  read  a  hundred  times  by  the  same  person.  After  the 
excitement  in  a  degree  had  subsided,  a  meeting  was  organized 
in  the  Merchants'  Exchange ;  and  Rev.  Mr.  Hepworth,  who 
happened  to  be  present,  was  called  upon  to  offer  a  prayer. 
The  crowd  reverently  bowed  their  heads,  and  listened  to  the 
outpourings  of  gratitude  and  thanksgiving  for  the  signal  victory 
that  had  crowned  our  arms.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  prayer 
all  joined  in  singing  "America."  At  noon,  Gilmore's  Band  was 
stationed  in  front  of  the  Exchange  building,  and  played  a  num 
ber  of  popular  airs.  The  crowd  was  immense,  and  swayed  to 
and  fro  like  the  waters  of  the  ocean  ;  and  the  cheers  given  were 
like  its  roar.  Never  have  we  seen  a  sight  like  that ;  business, 
private  and  public  griefs,  all  were  forgotten,  and  absorbed  in  the 
general  rejoicing.  Shortly  after  one  o'clock,  all  the  bells  in  the 
city  were  rung,  and  a  salute  was  fired,  by  order  of  the  Governor, 
on  the  Common.  In  the  afternoon,  the  occupants  of  Faneuil  Hall 


624  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

Market  paraded  through  the  principal  streets  of  the  city  with  a 
band  of  music.  In  the  evening,  the  city  was  illuminated,  and 
rockets  and  other  fireworks  added  to  the  general  joy  and  bril 
liancy  of  the  occasion. 

In  Cambridge,  a  meeting  was  held  in  the  evening,  at  which 
addresses  were  made  by  Richard  H.  Dana,  Jr.,  and  J.  M.  S. 
Williams,  prominent  citizens  of  Cambridge,  and  by  George 
Thompson,  a  member  of  the  British  Parliament.  At  the  close 
of  the  meeting,  Ex-Governor  Washburn,  of  Massachusetts,  led 
off  in  hearty  cheers  "  for  the  loyal  people  of  the  Border  States.5' 
Cheers  were  also  given  for  the  ff  laboring  people  of  Great  Brit 
ain,  who  have  stood  by  us  in  this  war,''  and  for  the  army  and 
the  old  flag.  The  Mayor  recommended,  that  the  people  gener 
ally  illuminate  their  houses,  and  display  the  red,  white,  and 
blue,  and  announced  that  the  bells  of  the  city  would  be  rung. 
The  Walcott  Guards  under  Captain  Meacham  marched  through 
the  principal  streets,  cheering  for  the  Union  and  General 
Grant. 

In  Charlestown,  the  news- was  received  by  the  ringing  of  the 
church-bells  and  the  display  of  flags,  and  in  the  evening  by 
illuminations  and  fireworks.  At  noon,  four  thousand  workmen 
at  the  Navy  Yard  assembled  in  front  of  Admiral  Stringhain's 
residence,  who  made  them  a  patriotic  speech,  which  was  heart 
ily  applauded.  "Nine  rousing  cheers  were  given  for  General 
Grant  and  the  Potomac  Army."  A  national  salute  was  fired 
from  the  Navy  Yard.  In  the  evening,  a  meeting  was  held  in 
the  First  Parish  Church,  which  was  opened  in  a  few  remarks 
by  the  pastor,  Rev.  J.  B.  Miles.  Then  there  was  singing  and 
prayer,  addresses  by  the  clergymen,  and  by  the  Mayor  and 
others.  At  the  conclusion,  a  collection  was  taken  up  for  the 
benefit  of  the  Christian  Commission,  and  a  large  sum  realized. 

In  Roxbury,  the  State  Guards,  Captain  Edward  Wyman, 
with  a  band,  marched  in  the  evening  through  the  principal 
streets,  accompanied  by  a  large  body  of  citizens.  In  Elliott 
Square  there  was  a  grand  display  of  fireworks.  The  Norfolk 
House  and  many  dwellings  were  illuminated  ;  and,  at  nine  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  a  salute  of  one  hundred  guns  was  fired,  and  the 
church-bells  in  the  city  were  rung  from  nine  till  ten  o'clock. 


SUCCESS    OF    THE    UNION    ARMS.  625 

The  excitement  and  the  enthusiasm  extended  through  every 
city,  town,  and  village  in  the  State. 

On  the  4th  of  April,  the  Governor  sent  a  message  to  the 
Senate  and  House  of  Representatives,  announcing  in  eloquent 
words  the  successes  of  our  armies,  and  the  certain  downfall  of 
the  Rebellion. 

"  Under  the  immediate  supreme  command  of  Lieu  tenant- General 
Grant,  in  a  series  of  consummate  military  movements,  occupying  several 
days  of  constant  engagement  fought  with  endurance  and  valor  never 
surpassed,  attended  by  hardships  and  peril  heroically  sustained,  and  ex 
tending  along  a  line  of  operations  without  example  in  military  history, 
culminating  in  the  destruction  of  the  enemy's  line  in  the  evacuation 
of  Petersburg,  and  in  the  occupation,  by  the  corps  under  Major-Gen 
eral  "Weitzell,  of  the  Capitol  of  the  rebel  usurpation.  .  .  .  This  result 
has  promptly  succeeded  upon  the  extraordinary  and  brilliant  exploits 
of  the  army  commanded  by  Major-General  Sherman,  whose  march 
through  the  States  of  Georgia,  South  Carolina,  and  far  into  the  State  of 
North  Carolina,  while  it  swept,  by  its  resistless  energy,  the  cities  of  Sa 
vannah,  Columbia,  Charleston,  and  their  surrounding  territories.  .  .  . 
To  these  have  been  added  the  recent  capture  of  Fort  Fisher,  oil  the 
Cape  Clear  River,  and  the  occupation  of  Wilmington  by  a  force  de 
tailed  for  that  purpose  by  Lieutenant- General  Grant,  and  immediately 
led  by  Brigadier- General  Terry  in  an  enterprise  most  brilliant,  both 
in  action  and  result." 

The  Governor  also  refers  to  the  brilliant  services  and  opera 
tions  of  Major-General  Sheridan  in  the  valley  of  the  Shenan- 
doah.  He  then  says,  — 

"  In  the  midst  of  a  great  national  rejoicing,  we  are  called  again  to 
mourn  the  loss,  to  the  country  and  their  kindred,  of,  we  know  not  how 
many,  our  most  gallant  and  worthy  sons.  Their  names,  their  memory, 
and  their  deeds  will  last  while  the  best  actions  of  men  have  a  record 
on  earth.  And  the  precious  sacrifice  of  heroic  lives  will  find  their 
great  reward  in  the  gratitude  of  mankind  and  the  benediction  of 
GOD." 

The  address  was  received  by  the  two  branches  with  great 
satisfaction,  and  was  frequently  applauded.  Senator  Wilson 
came  into  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  was  loudly  cheered. 
Very  little  business  was  done  in  either  branch.  On  the  same 
afternoon  a  very  large  and  enthusiastic  meeting  was  held  in 

40 


626  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Faneuil  Hall,  which  was  presided  over  by  Mr.  Lincoln,  the 
Mayor  of  Boston,  and  addresses  made  by  Colonel  Guiney,  for 
merly  of  the  Ninth  Regiment,  Senator  Wilson,  Robert  C.  Win- 
throp,  Judge  Russell,  Captain  McCartney  of  the  First  Battery, 
Fred.  Douglass,  the  colored  orator,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Kirk.  A 
letter  was  read  from  the  Governor,  excusing  himself  from  being 
present,  which  closed  as  follows  :  — 

'•  Thus  far  the  people  of  Massachusetts  have  stood  in  the  van.  They 
have  maintained  themselves  in  that  manly  adherence  to  their  doctrines, 
traditions,  and  ideas,  which  was  becoming  their  attitude  and  their  pro 
fession.  May  the  blessings  of  patient  and  hopeful  courage  abide  with 
them  unto  the  end,  and  illuminate  every  passage  of  difficulty  or  of  clan 
ger  ;  and  to-day  let  us  with  one  accord  remember  the  wonderful  good 
ness  by  which  we  have  been  led  onward  to  these  high  places  of 
deliverance  and  triumph." 

The  meeting  was  opened  with  prayer  by  Rev.  Mr.  Manning, 
of  the  Old  South  Church,  and  closed  with  the  singing  of  Old 
Hundred  by  the  whole  assembly. 

On  the  9th  of  April,  General  Lee  surrendered  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  to  General  Grant,  which  virtually  closed  the 
war.  On  the  llth  of  April,  Governor  Andrew  telegraphed  to 
President  Lincoln,  — 

"  Will  you  proclaim  a  national  thanksgiving  April  19  ?  The  anniver 
sary  of  the  battle  of  Lexington,  and  of  the  attack  on  our  troops  in 
Baltimore,  would  be  appropriate,  if  sufficient  time  remains." 

The  suggestion  was  not  adopted  by  the  President.  It  would 
appear  that  many  requests  were  made  of  the  Governor  to  change 
Fast  Day,  of  which  proclamation  had  already  been  made,  into 
Thanksgiving  Day,  as  we  find  a  memorandum  in  his  files  which 
bears  neither  date  nor  signature.  He  declined  to  make  the 
change,  for  two  reasons  :  "  first,  because  the  present  being  Pas 
sion  Week,  devoted  by  large  bodies  of  Christians  to  penitential 
religious  services,  it  would  be  inappropriate;  second,  because 
he  prefers  not  to  anticipate  the  decision  of  the  President,  now 
returned  to  Washington,  and  who  may  be  expected  to  proclaim 
a  national  thanksgiving."  It  was  well  that  the  change  was  not 
made ;  for  in  a  few  days  our  rejoicing  was  turned  to  mourning. 


THE    DEATH    OF    PRESIDENT   LINCOLN.  627 

The  greatest  personal  calamity  that  ever  befell  a  nation  fell  on 
ours.  Never  was  there  so  sudden  change  from  joy  to  grief  per 
vading  all  hearts,  and  faltering  upon  every  tongue,  as  when 
Abraham  Lincoln  died  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin  on  Saturday, 
the  15th  day  of  April. 

The  event  was  officially  communicated  to  the  Legislature  by 
Governor  Andrew,  in  a  message,  on  Monday,  the  17th  ;  the 
opening  paragraph  of  which  was  as  follows  :  — 

"  In  the  midst  of  exultations  of  recent  and  repeated  victory,  in  the 
midst  of  the  highest  hopes  of  the  most  auspicious  omens,  in  the  hour  of 
universal  joy,  the  nation  passed  at  once,  by  an  inscrutable  and  mysteri 
ous  providence,  into  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death.  Assembled 
while  the  cloud  is  yet  thick  upon  our  eyes,  and  the  hearts  of  men  are 
oppressed  by  a  sense  of  a  strange  dismay,  it  has  become  my  mournful 
duty  to  record,  by  formal  and  official  announcement  to  the  legislative 
department  of  the  Commonwealth,  this  calamitous  and  distressing 
event." 

The  Governor  then  proceeds  to  narrate,  in  concise  and  simple 
language,  some  of  the  leading  events  in  the  life  of  President 
Lincoln,  and  to  give  an  analysis  of  his  pure,  upright,  and  unaf 
fected  character.  Appropriate  honors  were  paid,  by  the  execu 
tive  and  legislative  departments  of  the  Government,  to  the 
memory  of  this  great  and  good  man.  The  hall  of  the  House 
of  Representatives,  Senate  Chamber,  and  the  Governor's 
room,  and  the  rooms  of  the  different  departments,  were  fitly 
draped  in  mourning,  and  the  flag  on  the  dome  of  the  Capitol 
rested  at  half-mast.  The  public  buildings  of  the  city,  and 
many  of  the  private  residences,  displayed  the  insignia  of  grief 
and  sorrow.  From  every  pulpit  in  the  Commonwealth  ser 
mons  were  preached  full  of  lamentation.  Public  meetings 
were  held  at  Faneuil  Hall,  and  in  many  of  the  cities  and  towns 
throughout  the  Commonwealth,  in  which  the  public  voice  spoke 
forth  the  public  sorrow. 

Governor  Andrew  was  engaged  to  deliver  an  address  in 
Lowell  on  the  19th  of  April,  on  the  occasion  of  the  dedica 
tion  of  a  monument,  erected  by  the  city  and  the  State,  at  that 
place  to  the  memory  of  the  three  men  belonging  to  Lowell, 
who  were  killed  in  Baltimore,  on  the  19th  of  April,  1861. 


628  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  Legislature  had  also  been  invited  to  attend  the  ceremo 
nies.  On  the  15th,  the  Governor  telegraphed  to  the  Mayor  of 
Lowell :  — 

"  This  national  calamity  must  postpone  our  Lowell  ceremonies, 
which  at  present  I  regard  impossible.  I  pray  you  at  once  order  the 
postponement.  I  suggest  the  17th  of  June  as  a  proper  occasion." 

The  ceremonies  were  postponed  as  requested. 

The  Adjutant-General  was  directed  to  issue  an  order  for  the 
firing  of  minute  guns  on  Boston  Common,  and  at  Cambridge, 
near  the  State  Arsenal,  on  the  day  of  the  funeral,  which  order 
was  successfully  obeyed. 

The  Legislature  of  Massachusetts  passed  resolutions  express 
ing  the  sorrow  felt  by  our  people  on  the  death  of  the  President, 
a  copy  of  which  Governor  Andrew  was  requested  to  forward  to 
Mrs.  Lincoln,  which  he  did  on  the  26th  of  April,  in  a  letter 
of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  :  — 

"  Mrs.  MARY  LINCOLN. 

"  MADAM,  —  The  resolutions  of  the  General  Court  of  this  Com 
monwealth,  an  officially  engrossed  copy  of  which  I  herewith  trans 
mit,  impose  on  me  the  mournful  duty  of  forwarding  such  copy,  as  a 
token  of  the  respect  and  regard  entertained  for  yourself  by  the  Legis 
lature  of  Massachusetts. 

"  In  this  moment  of  your  sorrow,  when,  in  addition  to  the  grief 
which  the  whole  people  of  this  country  share  with  you.  you  bear, 
besides,  a  pang  of  separation  the  sharpest  which  death  brings  to  any 
of  the  relations  of  life,  no  words  avail  me  to  express  as  I  could  wish 
the  sympathy  with  which  I  have  the  honor  to  remain,  madam, 

"  Faithfully  and  obediently  yours,  JOHN  A.  ANDREW." 

This  letter,  with  the  resolutions  inclosed,  was  sent  to  Hon. 
F.  P.  Blair,  to  be  by  him  delivered  to  Mrs.  Lincoln  ;  "for,"  as 
he  says,  "  it  seems  more  in  earnest  and  more  genuine  for  such 
a  delivery  to  be  made  by  the  hand  of  a  friend  than  by  the 
course  of  the  mails." 

Among  the  memorials  of  affection  and  regard  which  Governor 
Andrew  received  during  the  war  from  friends  in  the  army  and 
elsewhere,  who  appreciated  and  loved  him,  was  the  original 
copy  of  General  Lee's  farewell  address  to  the  Army  of  North 
ern  Virginia,  after  his  surrender  to  General  Grant,  which  was 


THE  SOLDIERS'  MONUMENT  IN  LOWELL.  629 

sent  to  him  by  Brevet  Brigadier-General  Charles  S.  Russell, 
and  acknowledged  by  the  Governor  in  a  letter  addressed  to 
General  Russell  on  the  4th  of  May. 

"MY  DEAR  Sm,  —  I  owe  you  my  sincere  thanks  in  acknowledg 
ment  of  your  gift  to  me  of  so  significant  a  memorial  of  the  war  as 
Lee's  order,  which  you  have  sent  me.  I  prize  it  highly,  and  shall 
cause  it  to  be  framed,  and  hung  in  my  library." 

General  Russell  was  born  in  Boston,  and  was  a  captain  in 
the  Eleventh  Infantry,  U.S.A.,  and  had  risen  from  that  posi 
tion,  by  his  bravery  and  military  capacity  during  the  war,  to 
the  rank  of  brevet  brigadier-general,  and  had  command  of  a 
brigade  in  the  Ninth  Corps.  We  knew  him  well,  and  a  braver 
and  a  better  soldier  "  none  in  Christendom  gives  out."  He 
was  in  fifty  battles,  and  was  wounded  twice  ;  the  last  wound 
he  received  was  at  the  explosion  in  the  mine.  He  came 
out  of  the  war  with  high  honors  and  in  good  health,  but 
died,  a  few  months  after  peace  had  been  established,  in  Cincin 
nati,  of  Asiatic  cholera.  We  referred  to  General  Russell,  and 
the  hearty  welcome  we  received  from  him,  in  the  report  which 
we  made  to  the  Governor  of  our  visit  to  the  front  in  the 
autumn  of  1864,  published  in  a  preceding  chapter. 

On  the  17th  of  June,  the  monument  erected  in  the  city  of 
Lowell  to  commemorate  the  stirring  events  which  transpired 
in  the  city  of  Baltimore  on  the  memorable  19th  of  April,  1861, 
and  in  honor  of  the  first  martyrs  in  the  Rebellion,  who  fell  in 
that  city,  was  inaugurated.  The  occasion  was  one  of  great 
interest.  The  Governor  and  staff,  the  heads  of  the  different 
State  departments,  the  Executive  Council,  the  members  of  the 
two  branches  of  the  Legislature,  were  all  invited  to  be  present, 
and  most  of  them  were  in  attendance.  The  Governor  was  to 
deliver  the  address.  In  Lowell,  the  mills  were  all  closed,  and 
every  department  of  business  suspended.  A  procession  was 
formed,  made  up  of  the  different  Masonic  bodies,  Odd  Fellows, 
and  other  charitable  organizations,  and  the  different  trades, 
and  marched  through  the  various  streets,  escorted  by  a  company 
of  cavalry  and  the  old  Sixth  Regiment  of  infantry. 

The  address  of  the  Governor  was  delivered  from  the  balcony 


630  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

of  the  Merrimack  House,  immediately  fronting  the  monument, 
and  occupied  about  an  hour  in  delivery.  It  was  one  of  his 
most  able  efforts,  in  which  he  took  a  patriotic  and  statesman 
like  view  of  the  commencement,  progress,  and  termination  of 
the  Eebellion.  He  referred  particularly  to  the  State  of  Mary 
land,  of  its  opposition  to  the  war  at  its  commencement,  and  of 
the  subsequent  change  from  opposition  to  the  cause  of  the 
Union  to  stanch  and  valuable  support,  and  argued  therefrom 
the  unity  of  interest  which  the  two  States  had  in  supporting  the 
Constitution,  and  the  bright  and  glorious  future  which  the  tri 
umph  of  the  cause,  the  termination  of  hostile  strife,  and  the 
return  to  peace,  opened  to  them.  It  was  a  thoughtful  and  able 
address,  to  which  the  Governor  had  given  much  deliberation, 
and  which  he  had  prepared  with  careful  attention.  In  relation  to 
this  address,  we  find  a  letter  on  the  files  of  the  Governor,  written 
June  19,  and  addressed  to  F.  P.  Blair,  Esq.,  Silver  Springs, 
Md.,  which  he  forwarded  to  that  gentleman  with  a  copy  of 
his  address,  believing  that  it  would  interest  him,  from  the  fact 
that  it  treated  immediately  and  solely  a  topic  most  intimately 
concerning  his  State. 

"  I  prepared,"  said  the  Governor,  "  the  address  with  care,  endeavor 
ing  to  procure  a  unity  of  design  throughout,  to  keep  uppermost  the 
precise  day  and  its  events  which  formed  the  occasion  of  the  ceremony, 
extending  my  thoughts  out  in  the  direction  of  other  events  and 
auxiliary  considerations  only  just  so  far  as  a  somewhat  severe  self- 
control  would  permit.  I  thought,  however,  since  the  tragedy  of  the 
10th  of  April  was  an  apparent  conflict  between  Maryland  and  Massa 
chusetts,  it  was  fitting  that  I  should  show  how  history  at  last  had 
brought  them  into  close  and  cordial  harmony  ;  and  incidentally  to  show 
how  much  was  the  exertion,  and  how  great  the  success,  of  the  loyal 
hearts  of  Maryland  in  view  of  the  difficulties  they  had  to  encounter. 
If,  in  performing  this  task,  which  I  felt  to  a  Massachusetts  man,  and  to 
myself  especially,  was  one  of  great  delicacy,  I  should  be  found  to  have 
avoided  all  offence  against  good  taste,  and  to  have  maintained  with 
steadiness  the  scales  of  honest  judgment.  I  shall  be  equally  gratified 
and  surprised." 

The  Governor  then  regrets,  that,  during  his  visits  to  Wash 
ington,  official  business  had  so  much  absorbed  his  time  as  to 
prevent  him  from  spending  more  hours  with  Mr.  Blair  at  his 


MEETING    IN    FAXEUIL    HALL.  631 

pleasant  home  at  Silver  Springs,  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Federal 
City.     He  said,  — 

"  I  hope  yet  to  find  some  night  and  day  of  uninterrupted  quiet  and 
repose  of  mind  and  limbs,  when  I  may  yield  myself  to  friendship 
and  philosophy  under  the  shadow  of  its  groves/' 

On  the  21st  of  June,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Faneuil  Hall,  to 
consider  the  question  of  the  re-organization  of  the  Rebel  States, 
at  which  Theophilus  Parsons,  Professor  in  Cambridge  Law 
School,  presided:  and  speeches  were  made  by  Mr.  Parsons, 
Richard  H.  Dana.  Jr..  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  S.  C.  Pomeroy, 
United  States  Senator  from  Kansas,  and  George  B.  Loring,  of 
Salem.  Letters  were  also  read  from  Governor  Andrew,  Alex 
ander  H.  Bullock  of  Worcester.  Charles  G.  Loring,  Alexander 
H.  Rice  and  Samuel  Hooper  of  Boston,  and  Benjamin  F.  But 
ler  of  Lowell. 

The  letter  of  Governor  Andrew,  which  contained  the  views 
he  then  entertained,  and  which  he  adhered  to  during  the  re 
mainder  of  his  life,  upon  a  subject  of  such  engrossing  interest 
and  importance,  cannot  fail  to  be  read  with  interest  at  this  and 
in  all  succeeding  time.  We  therefore  quote  from  this  letter  as 
follows  :  — 

-  It  is  not  my  belief  that  in  any  one  of  the  seceding  States  the  time 
has  yet  arrived  when  its  State  government  can  be  re-established  with 
safety.  Whether  the  white  man  only  votes,  or  whether  the  colored 
man  also  votes.  I  regard  the  movement  at  the  present  moment  with 
inexpressible  concent.  It  has  taken  us  four  years  to  conquer  the 
rebels  in  all  of  them.  I  would  not  run  any  risk,  great  or  small,  of 
allowing  the  same  class  of  men  to  beat  u.s  by  an  appeal  to  fraud.  They 
appealed  to  force,  and  were  conquered-  Let  us  hold  on  to  the  power 
we  now  have  to  do  right,  to  protect  the  loyal,  to  rebuild  the  State,  to 
re-establish  society,  to  secure  the  liberty  of  the  people  and  the  safety 
of  the  Union.  Let  it  be  used  with  parental  kindness  and  in  the  tem 
per  of  conciliation.  But  hold  on  to  the  power,  and  in  the  fear  of  God 
let  it  be  used.  It  was  bought  with  the  blood  of  more  than  a  quarter 
of"  a  million  of  heroes  and  patriots,  who  have  given  up  their  lives  for 
their  country.  Let  us  see  to  it  that  by  no  error  of  ours  such  torrents 
of  human  blood  shall  flow  again.  I  think  the  loyalty  of  the  South 
needs  time  for  concentration.  Therefore  I  think  no  reconstruction  will 


632  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

be  successful  now ;  and  therefore,  as  a  radical  believer  in  the  suffrage 
for  all  men  of  competent  capacity,  irrespective  of  color  or  national 
origin,  I  the  less  regret  that  colored  men  are  not  now  permitted  to 
vote  in  the  South.  I  do  not  believe  their  voting  would  prevent  the 
failure  which  seems  most  likely  to  result  from  these  experiments,  and 
we  may  be  glad  not  to  have  them  involved  in  the  catastrophe.  They 
will  vote  by  and  by.  Their  votes  will  be  wanted,  just  as  their  arms 
were  wanted.  All  people  will  yet  see,  that,  poor  and  ignorant  as  they 
are,  they  are  on  the  right  side,  and  that  they  can  neither  be  cheated 
nor  bullied  into  its  betrayal  or  desertion.  Meanwhile  they  will  be 
gaining  in  knowledge,  and  in  admitted  capacity  to  exercise  the  politi 
cal  functions  of  citizenship.  All  the  North  will,  by  and  by,  agree 
that  the  theoretical  superiority  of  the  white  masters,  which  did  not 
prevent  them  from  committing  the  most  monstrous  of  all  the  blunders 
and  crimes  of  history,  renders  them,  in  the  eyes  of  practical  states 
manship,  inferior  material  for  good  citizens  to  their  humble  and  un 
learned  freedmen. 

"  I  deeply  deplore  the  necessity  of  raising  the  general  question  of 
suffrage  for  colored  men  in  the  South  thus  early.  I  had  hoped  that 
the  last  vestige  of  heresy  on  that  question  might  be  first  eradicated 
from  New  England,  where  it  even  now  retains  a  foothold.  I  had 
hoped  that  the  poor  freedman  might  have  the  opporlunity  of  a  brief 
future,  unprejudiced  by  becoming  immediately  the  subject  of  political 
controversy.  For  one,  however,  I  still  hope  and  believe  that  there 
need  bo  no  strife  nor  angry  debate.  We  have  reached  a  point  where 
temperate,  philosophical,  and  statesmanlike  treatment  of  grave  ques 
tions  has  become  easy,  because  it  is  of  controlling  and  absolute  neces 
sity.  We  are  to  have  an  era  of  calm,  wise,  and  yet  brave  and  hopeful 
counsels.  The  people  cannot  afford  other.  They  must  and  will 
resume  control  of  public  affairs  sometimes  too  much  intrusted  to  acci 
dent.  And  then  the  prejudices  of  tradition  and  the  caprices  of  poli 
tics  will  be  alike  disregarded. 

"  Allow  me  to  add,  that  in  the  end,  although  for  the  present  it  may 
seem  otherwise  to  casual  observation,  I  do  not  expect  to  find  the  de 
liberate  judgment  of  the  President,  who  is  an  able  statesman  and  an 
honest  patriot,  with  that  of  Massachusetts  herself.  In  his  reply  to  my 
own  remarks,  introducing  to  him  a  large  delegation  of  gentlemen  from 
Massachusetts,  the  President  emphatically  declared  his  purpose  to  do 
his  utmost  to  make  the  country  '  permanently  free.'  The  logic  of 
events  is  irresistible.  Thus  far,  freedom  has  been  constantly  gaining, 
and  it  has  held  whatever  it  gained.  With  patient,  hopeful,  and  manly 
courage  on  our  part,  the  future  is  secure." 


BREVET-GENERAL   WILLIAM    S.    LINCOLN.  633 

No  one  can  read  this  calm,  philosophical,  and  statesmanlike 
letter,  without  feeling  with  renewed  force  the  great  loss  which 
Governor  Andrew's  death  was,  not  only  to  Massachusetts,  but 
to  the  nation.  Whatever  theories  may  be  advanced  to  explain 
the  present  unfortunate  condition  of  affairs  in  the  South, 
and  of  the  divided  and  distracted  counsels  between  the  President 
and  Congress,  no  patriot,  capable  of  reflection  and  philosophical 
study,  can  doubt  that  if  either  of  the  places  were  filled  with 
men  capable  of  grasping  and  fully  comprehending  great  events, 
and  of  applying  principles  lofty  and  wide,  like  our  late  la 
mented  Governor,  the  Union  would  have  been  practically  united 
long  ere  this,  and  the  nation  far  advanced  in  all  the  arts 
of  peace,  and  in  the  wealth  and  prosperity  which  mark  their 
progress. 

On  the  21st  of  June,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Secretary  Stan- 
ton,  expressing  his  desire  in  strong  and  pleasant  language,  that 
Colonel  William  S.  Lincoln,  of  the  Thirty-fourth  Regiment, 
should  receive  the  honor  of  brevet  brigadier-general. 

"  He  is,"  said  the  Governor,  "  a  man  of  mature  age,  highly 
respected  as  a  citizen  and  a  gentleman,  who  left  a  large  family  and 
many  important  interests  at  home  in  the  dark  hours  of  the  summer 
of  18 G2,  to  help  restore  the  fortunes  of  the  Union  cause.  Colonel 
Lincoln  was  not  a  politician,  but  a  patriot ;  and  he  belongs  to  a  family 
of  patriots,  who,  whether  right  or  wrong  on  any  other  question,  are 
always  true  to  their  country.  His  zeal,  fidelity,  courage,  constancy, 
and  ability  command  my  gratitude  and  respect." 

The  Governor  then  proceeds  to  give  a  correct  outline  of 
Colonel  Lincoln's  military  record,  and  concludes  with  this 
paragraph  :  — 

"  Allow  me  to  add,  that  the  gratification  such  a  recognition  of  his  son 
would  impart  to  the  venerable  ex-Governor,  Levi  Lincoln,  would  lend 
to  it  a  peculiar  value  merely  as  a  matter  of  sentiment.  More  than  three 
score  years  of  age,  Governor  Lincoln,  last  November,  helped  to  cast 
the  electoral  vote  of  Massachusetts,  serving  as  an  elector  for  the  third 
time  in  his  life,  and  probably  closing  with  that  act  a  long  and  dis 
tinguished  public  career." 

Colonel  Lincoln  received  the  brevet  rank  which  he  so  well 
merited  ;  and  Governor  Andrew,  through  his  private  secretary, 


634  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Major  Henry  Ware,  had  the  pleasure  of  communicating  to  him, 
on  the  12th  of  July,  the  information  that  he  had  been  ap 
pointed  . 

The  approaching  Commencement  at  Harvard  College,  in 
July,  was  to  be  celebrated  with  more  than  ordinary  interest. 
The  graduates  of  the  University  who  had  won  her  scholastic 
honors,  and  renown  derived  from  brave  and  conspicuous  services 
in  the  red  field  of  war,  were  to  receive  an  especial  commemora 
tion.  The  President  of  the  United  States  and  his  Cabinet  were 
invited  to  be  present.  On  the  24th  of  June,  the  Governor 
wrote  to  President  Johnson,  earnestly  requesting  him  to  be 
present  at  the  Commencement  exercises  on  Wednesday,  the 
19th  of  July,  and  the  ceremonies  in  honor  of  the  soldiers  of 
old  Harvard  on  Friday,  the  21st  of  July,  at  Cambridge. 
He  could  assure  him  of  a  sincere  welcome,  and  that  it  would 
afford  the  State  authorities  and  the  people  much  pleasure  to  do 
whatever  was  becoming  for  such  a  visit  and  such  a  visitor,  to 
render  the  occasion  agreeable  to  himself  and  to  his  friends. 
The  letter  then  says,  — 

"  We  have  a  very  great  desire  that  the  people  of  Massachusetts 
should  have  the  opportunity  of  meeting  you,  and  that  you  also  should 
have  the  opportunity  of  seeing  and  speaking  to  a  representative  as 
sembly  of  her  people. 

"  The  present  is  the  time  when  a  thousand  advantages  of  a  public 
nature  would  be  served,  the  character  and  magnitude  of  which  will 
most  readily  occur  to  yourself.  I  am  sure  that  at  no  moment  in  the 
history  of  the  Union  has  any  concurrence  of  circumstances  yet  hap 
pened  where  more  good  could  be  done  by  any  such  means." 

The  celebration  took  place  on  the  day  named  ;  but  the  Presi 
dent,  from  official  engagements,  was  not  able  to  be  present. 
We  find  on  the  files  of  the  Governor  a  lon«;  and  interesting 

O  O 

letter  addressed  by  him,  on  the  26th  of  June,  to  Mr.  Motley, 
the  American  minister  to  Austria,  in  which  he  discusses  the 
present  aspect  of  political  affairs  in  America  ;  from  which  we 
make  an  extract :  — 

"  At  this  moment,  we  are  all  thinking  of  the  statesmanship  of  the 
future.  The  best  hopes  have  been  fulfilled  by  our  military  success.  I 
think  we  have  now  reached  the  real  'tug  of  war.'  I  have  never  doubted 


COMMEMORATION    DAY   AT    CAMBRIDGE.  635 

our  bravery  in  the  field,  nor  our  dogged  will  while  met  by  arms,  nor 
our  strength  to  conquer.  But  I  have  always  dreaded  the  temptations 
of  peace,  and  the  opportunities  given  by  the  cessation  of  arms  to  the 
schemers  of  every  side  who  trade  in  politics,  sometimes  bargaining 
away  the  rights  of  black  men,  and  sometimes  trading  upon  a  freshly  dis 
covered  zeal  in  their  behalf,  substituting  the  heartlessness  of  the  mere 
speculator  in  public  concerns  for  the  wisdom  and  fidelity  of  thoughtful 
patriotism.  But  on  this  field,  as  well  as  on  that  of  war,  I  feel  sure  at 
the  last  we  shall  win.  The  work  of  Divine  Goodness  will  be  done. 
We  of  the  North  cannot  be  allowed,  even  if  we  would,  to  suffer 
it,  or  spoil  it,  or  abuse  it  utterly.  Indeed,  my  constant  thought  is,  — 

"  '  If  our  bark  sinks, 
It  is  to  another  sea.' 

"  For  myself,  having  served  in  a  public  capacity  of  grave  responsi 
bility,  much  care  and  toil  during  all  the  war,  I  shall,  at  the  end  of  this 
my  fifth  year,  return  to  private  life  and  my  profession,  whence,  until 
the  autumn  of  1860,  I  had  no  thought  of  emerging,  and  where  I  will 
try  to  serve,  as  of  old,  after  my  sort,  the  cause  which  I  hold  to  be,  not 
only  of  our  country,  but  of  mankind." 

Commemoration  Day  at  Cambridge,  in  honor  of  the  patriot- 
heroes  of  Harvard,  on  the  21st  of  July,  was  an  event  which 
will  ever  be  memorable  in  the  annals  of  that  ancient  seat  of 
learning. 

The  alumni  of  Harvard,  Williams,  and  Amherst  Colleges 
were  represented  in  nearly  every  regiment  which  went  from 
Massachusetts,  and  in  many  of  the  regiments  from  other  States, 
and  reflected  as  high  honors  upon  their  respective  Alma  Maters 
by  their  intelligence  and  bravery  as  officers  and  soldiers,  as  they 
have  done  by  their  learning  and  accomplishments. 

The  long  and  gallant  roll  of  the  men  of  Harvard  was  con 
spicuously  notable.  The  colleges  of  the  State  were  represented 
in  every  military  rank,  from  major-general  to  private ;  and 
they  had  poured  out  their  life's  blood  on  many  of  the  battle 
fields. 

Commemoration  Day  was  one  of  the  most  marked  in  the  an 
nals  of  the  College,  whether  we  regard  the  number  of  the  alumni 
who  were  present,  the  preparations  made  for  the  celebration, 
the  distinguished  gentlemen  who  took  part  in  the  proceedings,  or 
the  lofty,  patriotic  eloquence  of  the  speeches,  the  poetic  beauty 


630  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

and  fervor  of  the  verses  contributed,  the  festivities,  the  colla 
tion,  the  flags,  devices,  and  the  entire  arrangement,  and 
the  excellent  manner  in  which  they  were  carried  out,  the  class- 
meetings  in  the  different  halls,  the  hand-shakings,  the  singing 
of  camp-songs  by  those  who  had  followed  the  flag,  and  defended 
it  on  so  many  bloody  fields.  It  was  truly  a  re-union  of  the  men 
of  Harvard.  Many  of  the  young  men  who,  three  or  four 
years  before,  had  graduated,  bore  on  their  shoulders  the  insignia 
of  generals  and  colonels.  Among  these  were  Barlow,  Force, 
Devens,  Payne,  Hayes,  Loring,  Bartlett,  Eustis,  Sargent, 
Ames.  Walcott,  Stevens,  Higginson,  Savage,  Palfrey,  Crown- 
inshield,  and  Kussell.  Some  appeared  with  but  one  arm,  others 
with  but  one  leg.  Then  there  were  scrolls  commemorative  of 
those  who  had  fallen,  among  whom  were  Wads  worth,  Webster, 
Revere,  Peabody,  Willard,  the  D wights,  Lowell,  Plopkinson, 
How,  Shurtleff,  and  the  two  brothers  Abbott,  and  many  others, 
whose  love  of  country  closed  but  with  their  lives. 

The  procession  was  formed  at  eleven  o'clock,  under  the  direc 
tion  of  Colonel  Henry  Lee,  Jr.,  who  acted  as  chief  marshal,  and 
it  marched,  to  the  music  of  Gilmore's  Band,  to  the  Unitarian 
Church,  which  was  crowded  to  its  utmost  limit. 

Charles  G.  Loring  presided,  and  the  services  began  with  the 
singing  of  Luther's  Psalm,  "  A  mighty  fortress  is  our  God  ;  " 
Rev.  Dr.  Walker,  Ex-President  of  the  College,  read  selections 
from  the  Scriptures  ;  prayer  was  made  by  Rev.  Phillips  Brooks, 
of  Philadelphia ;  after  which,  a  hymn  written  by  Robert  Lowell 
was  sung  by  the  congregation,  to  the  tune  of  Old  Hundred. 
This  was  followed  by  an  address  by  Rev.  Dr.  Putnam,  of  Rox- 
bury,  of  transcendent  eloquence  and  beauty. 

After  the  services  in  the  church,  a  procession  moved  to  the 
large  pavilion  erected  on  the  lawn  in  the  rear  of  Harvard  Hall, 
where  an  elegant  and  substantial  dinner  was  provided.  The 
scene  in  the  pavilion,  when  all  were  seated,  was  one  which  will 
never  pass  from  the  memory  of  those  who  witnessed  it.  The 
large  number  of  beautiful  and  accomplished  ladies  who  were 
present  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  the  beauty  and  inter 
est  of  the  scene.  When  all  were  seated,  grace  was  said  by  Rev. 
Dr.  Allen,  of  Northborough. 


LOYAL    SOUTHERN   LADIES.  637 

Charles  G.  Loring,  the  President  of  the  day,  commenced 
the  intellectual  feast  in  a  speech  of  considerable  length,  and  of 
great  power  and  beauty,  which  was  warmly  applauded,  and 
gave  the  key-note  to  the  speeches  which  followed. 

As  the  proceedings  have  been  published  in  the  newspapers  of 
the  day,  we  shall  not  attempt  to  quote  from  any  of  the  speeches 
which  were  made,  or  the  original  poems  which  were  read ; 
but  shall  content  ourselves  with  a  mere  statement  of  the  names 
of  the  gentlemen  whose  eloquence  and  genius  contributed  so 
largely  to  the  edification  and  delight  of  those  who  listened. 
Speeches  were  made  by  General  Barlow,  General  Devens,  Gov 
ernor  Andrew,  President  Hill,  Major-General  Meade,  U.S.A., 
.Ralph  Waldo  Emerson,  Rear- Admiral  Davis,  U.S.N.,  Major- 
General  Force  of  Ohio,  Rev.  Dr.  Thompson  of  New  York,  Colo 
nel  Thomas  W.  Higginson,  and  Rev.  J.  K.  Hosmer,  who  was 
color-bearer  of  the  Fifty-second  Massachusetts  Regiment.  An 
original  song,  written  by  Rev.  Charles  T.  Brooks,  entitled 
"The  Soldier's  Oath,"  was  sung  by  a  selected  choir;  also  an 
original  ode  by  J.  S.  D wight.  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe  con 
tributed  a  poem,  which  was  read  by  Mr.  Samuel  A.  Elliot.  Dr. 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  and  James  Russell  Lowell  each  fur 
nished  a  poem,  which  was  read  by  the  author.  The  celebration 
closed  with  the  singing  of  "  Auld  Lang  Syne." 

Considered  as  a  whole,  it  was  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
gathering  of  educated  and  distinguished  citizens  ever  assembled 
on  the  continent  of  America. 

Among  the  good  people  of  Richmond,  Va.,  who  were  kind 
and  charitable  to  our  prisoners,  and  loyal  to  the  Government, 
was  the  family  of  the  Van  Lews.  When  Colonel  Lee,  Major 
Revere,  and  others  who  had  been  taken  prisoners  at  the  battle 
of  Ball's  Bluff,  were  confined  in  the  Richmond  prison,  the 
Miss  Van  Lews  had  contributed  whatever  was  in  their  power 
to  relieve  them  from  the  horrors  of  prison  life  to  which  they 
were  subjected.  In  September,  1865,  one  of  the  ladies  visited 
Boston .  Her  chief  object  was  to  have  an  interview  with  Alex 
ander  H.  Stephens,  Vice-President  of  the  Confederate  Govern 
ment,  who  was  then  a  prisoner  at  Fort  Warren.  Miss  Van 
Lew  was  received  with  great  regard  by  the  Governor,  Colonel 


638  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Lee,  and  many  of  the  most  distinguished  citizens  of  Boston 
who  were  acquainted  with  her  loyalty,  and  esteemed  her  for  the 
regard  with  which  she  had  treated  our  soldiers  while  in  prison  at 
Richmond.  We  find  on  the  Governor's  files  a  letter  directed  to 
Secretary  Stanton,  dated  Sept.  12,  in  which  this  lady's  name  is 
mentioned. 

"  I  gladly  send  you  Miss  Van  Lew's  letter.  She  placed  it  in  my 
hands  for  my  opinion  on  the  subject,  and  also  on  the  propriety  of  her 
expressing  to  you  her  own  opinion.  It  is  difficult  not  to  sympathize 
with  the  views  of  one  so  truly  devoted  to  our  cause  as  she  is,  and  one 
who  has  suffered  so  much.  Still,  while  I  am  confident  of  her  loyal 
good  faith,  I  am  not  sufficiently  apprised  of  the  grounds  upon  which 
the  United-States  Government  is  now  acting,  to  be  able  to  form  a  clear 
and  intelligent  judgment." 

The  answer  of  Mr.  Stanton  to  this  letter  was  conveyed  to 
Miss  Van  Lew,  who  was  staying  at  the  residence  of  Colonel 
William  Raymond  Lee,  by  the  Governor,  in  a  letter  dated 
Sept.  18,  in  which  Mr.  Stanton  is  quoted  as  having  written,  — 

"  The  case  of  Mr.  Stephens  has  been  brought  to  the  notice  of  the 
President  by  several  persons  who  take  an  interest  in  him,  and  it  is  now 
under  the  President's  consideration.  I  will  submit  to  him  the  repre 
sentations  of  Miss  Van  Lew,  and  beg  you  to  communicate  this  to 
her." 

This  appears  to  have  been  the  end  of  the  correspondence. 
We  are  aware,  however,  that  permission  was  given  by  the  Pres 
ident  to  Miss  Van  Lew  to  visit  this  distinguished  state  prisoner 
at  Fort  Warren,  and  that  he  was  shortly  afterwards  released 
from  confinement,  and  permitted  to  return  to  Georgia.  We 
will  add,  in  this  connection,  that  the  writer  had  known  Mr. 
Stephens  when  he  was  a  member  of  Congress  ;  and,  while  a  pris 
oner  in  Fort  Warren,  we  visited  him  several  times  while  in  the 
casemates  of  that  fortification.  Mr.  Stephens  was  never  heartily 
a  rebel.  He  was  opposed  to  the  secession  of  the  Southern 
States  ;  his  State  having  voted  to  withdraw  from  the  Union,  he 
deemed  it  his  duty  to  go  with  her.  We  discussed  with  him 
there  all  the  points  of  the  secession  theory ;  and  the  im 
pression  left  upon  our  mind  was,  that,  if  a  proper  opportunity 


ALEXANDER  H.  STEPHENS,  OF  GEORGIA.        639 

should  arrive  by  which  he  could  with  honor  advocate  and  work 
for  the  re-establishment  of  the  Union,  he  would  take  advantage 
of  it.  A  number  of  gentlemen  distinguished  in  political  life, 
and  who  had  been  always  true  to  the  Union  cause,  believed  it 
would  be  wise  and  also  expedient  to  have  Mr.  Stephens  re 
leased  from  confinement,  and  return  to  Georgia,  to  exercise  his 
personal  influence  to  bring  about  a  kind  and  loyal  feeling  to  the 
Government  in  the  South.  It  is  just,  however,  to  say,  that 
this  confidence  reposed  in  Mr.  Stephens  had  its  origin  in 
a  belief  of  the  truthfulness  and  manly  honor  of  the  gentle 
man,  and  not  in  any  words  which  he  had  expressed,  or  act 
which  he  had  committed,  showing  that  he  was  unfaithful  to  his 
own  section  of  country,  or  that,  in  going  with  his  State  into  the 
Rebellion,  he  had  consciously  committed  a  crime. 

On  the  4th  of  October,  the  Governor  transmitted  to  Francis 
George  Shaw,  father  of  the  late  Colonel  Shaw,  of  the  Fifty- 
fourth  Regiment,  Massachusetts  Volunteers,  a  copy  of  the  fol 
lowing  letter,  which  he  had  received  from  Brigadier-General  W. 
F.  Bennett :  - 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  I  have  iu  my  possession  a  vol 
canic  repeating  rifle  and  a  gold  watch,  which  is  supposed  to  be  the 
property  of  the  late  Colonel  Shaw,  Fifty-fourth  Regiment,  Massachu 
setts  Volunteers.  They  were  taken  from  a  man  who  has  been  boast 
ing  that  he  took  them  from  the  Colonel's  dead  body.  The  man  is  now 
in  jail,  in  charge  of  the  military  authorities.  Will  you  notify  the  fam 
ily  of  the  late  Colonel,  and  ask  information  on  the  subject  ?  " 

It  would  appear  from  the  following  letter,  dated  Oct.  18,  ad 
dressed  to  Mr.  Shaw,  that  the  articles  named  were  the  property 
of  his  son  :  — 

"  Your  letter  to  His  Excellency  was  received  this  morning,  and  I 
send  you  herewith  a  copy  of  General  Bennett's  letter,  from  which  you 
will  learn  his  name  and  address." 

We  have  already  said  a  word  in  regard  to  the  services,  in  the 
war,  of  Lieutenant-Colonel  Theodore  Lyman,  who  had  been 
commissioned  assistant  adjutant-general  by  Governor  Andrew, 
that  he  might  serve  as  a  volunteer  officer  on  the  staff  of 
General  Meade.  We  find  on  the  Governor's  files  a  copy  of 


640  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

a  letter  dated  April  19,  Headquarters  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
addressed  to  Colonel  Lyman  by  his  commanding  general :  — 

u  In  parting  with  you  after  an  association  of  over  twenty  months, 
during  which  time  you  have  served  on  my  staff,  I  feel  it  due  to  you  to 

V  I/  «/ 

express  my  high  sense  of  the  assistance  I  have  received  from  you,  and 
to  bear  testimony  to  the  zeal,  energy,  and  gallantry  you  have  displayed 
in  the  discharge  of  your  duties.  Be  assured  I  shall  ever  preserve  the 
liveliest  remembrance  of  our  intercourse  ;  and,  wherever  our  separate  fu 
tures  may  take  us,  I  shall  ever  have  a  deep  interest  in  your  welfare 
and  happiness,  which,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  I  trust  may  be  long  con 
tinued." 

On  the  10th  of  November,  the  Governor  addressed  a  letter 
to  Colonel  Lyman  on  the  occasion  of  his  resigning  his  commis 
sion  as  assistant  adjutant-general,  from  which  we  make  the  fol 
lowing  extract :  — 

"  The  meritorious  and  successful  manner  in  which  you  performed 
your  duties  as  a  volunteer  staff-officer  attached  to  the  commanding 
general  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  during  your  leave  of  absence 
from  Massachusetts,  having  frequently  been  brought  to  my  attention, 
as  well  by  the  emphatic  and  personal  mention  thereof  by  Major-Gen 
eral  Meade,  U.S.A.,  as  by  correspondence,  I  desire  to  express  to  you 
my  warm,  cordial,  thanks,  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  militia  of  this 
Commonwealth,  for  the  valuable  services  you  have  rendered  your 
country  on  the  field,  while  at  the  same  time  reflecting  honor  by  your 
intelligence,  gallantry,  and  soldierly  qualities,  through  your  whole  ca 
reer  of  honorable  actual  service,  upon  the  militia  of  Massachusetts,  and 
the  staff  of  its  commander-in-chief." 

Soon  after  Maryland  had  adopted  the  amendment  to  the 
Constitution  abolishing  slavery  in  that  State,  Governor  Andrew 
actively  engaged,  by  correspondence  and  otherwise,  to  have  all 
persons  who  were  imprisoned  in  that  State  for  the  crime  of  aid 
ing  the  escape  of  slaves  pardoned.  We  find  upon  his  files  a 
number  of  letters  upon  this  subject  addressed  toW.  G.  Snethen, 
of  Baltimore,  and  others.  From  one  of  these  letters,  dated  Oct. 
6,  we  make  the  following  extract :  — 

"  Another  point  to  which  I  wish  to  call  your  attention  is  the  fact 
that  there  are  at  present  a  number  of  men,  say  ten  or  twelve,  confined 
in  the  Maryland  Penitentiary,  for  violation  of  the  old  slave  law  of  that 


LETTER  TO  REV.  JAMES  FREEMAN  CLARKE.      641 

State.  Now  that  slavery  is  abolished,  and  Maryland  free,  it  seems 
little  less  than  cruelty  to  keep  these  men  in  bonds.  Will  you  ascer 
tain  how  many  there  actually  are  serving  under  the  above  head,  what 
are  their  names,  and  if  any  one  there  has  remembered  them,  and  taken 
any  step  towards  securing  their  release  ?  Is  there  any  thing  that  any 
one  here  can  do  for  them  ?  By  giving  your  attention  to  this  matter^ 
and  advising  me  of  the  result,  you  will  much  oblige  your  friend." 

To  which,  on  the  25th  of  November,  Mr.  Snethen  re 
plied,  — 

"  All  persons  confined  in  the  Maryland  Penitentiary  for  offences 
against  the  late  slave  code  have  been  released,  except  seven  of  the 
sixteen  whom  the  abolition  of  slavery  found  incarcerated.  These 
seven  are  charged  with  other  crimes,  but  the  Governor  (Bradford)  is 
doing  all  he  can  to  get  them  out.  We  do  not  see  how  outside  influence 
can  hasten  this  deliverance." 

On  the  26th  of  November  (Sunday  evening),  the  Governor 
wrote  the  following  letter  to  his  dear  friend  and  pastor,  Rev. 
James  Freeman  Clarke  :  — 

"  I  desire  to  echo  your  suggestion  made  to-day  after  sermon,  and  I 
hope  for  an  efficient  movement  at  the  Wednesday  evening  meeting  in 
behalf  of  the  freedmen. 

"  Although  the  Government  of  the  United  States  ought  to  serve  out 
rations,  and  to  protect  the  poor  people  from  the  suffering  from  hunger 
impending  this  winter,  there  will  still  be  large  room  left  for  private 
charity.  Labor  disorganized,  fields  wasted,  crops  unmade,  planters  im 
poverished  and  demoralized,  the  freedmen  uncertain,  half  protected, 
they  and  their  old  masters  mutually  doubtful  of  each  other,  the  poor 
white  hostile  in  great  measure,  and  all  the  victims  more  of  their  igno 
rance  and  of  antecedent  circumstances  than  of  present  bad  inten 
tions,  —  this  is  the  picture  a  large  part  of  the  South  now  exhibits. 
We  in  the  North  are  in  comfort  and  prosperity.  We  must  intervene 
for  the  immediate  preservation  of  the  colored  people  of  the  South, 
powerless  for  the  moment  to  save  themselves,  and,  by  wise  and  pru 
dent  generosity,  help  to  float  them  over,  until  a  new  crop  can  be  made. 
Acting  in  connection  with  the  Freedmen's  Bureau,  and  with  sensible 
and  practical  agents,  a  million  of  dollars  raised  by  the  North  before 
Christmas,  while  in  reality  and  comparatively  a  small  sum,  would  do 
unspeakable  good. 

"  I  presume  I  shall  not  be  able  to  attend  the  meeting  ;  but  I  beg  the 
privilege  of  helping  its  purpose,  though  absent.  And  therefore  I  write 

41 


642  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

to  express  the  hope,  that  our  congregation  will  promptly  move  in  the 
most  efficient  way,  and  to  ask  your  acceptance  of  a  subscription  of  one 
hundred  dollars  from 

"  Yours  faithfully  and  cordially, 

"  JOHN  A.  ANDREW." 

This  letter  shows  the  inward  feeling  which  Governor  Andrew 
had  toward  the  Southern  States.  There  was  nothing  in  his  na 
ture  unkind  or  ungenerous  ;  no  one  understood  better  than  he 
did  the  position  of  affairs,  both  North  and  South.  Pre-eminent 
in  his  devotion  to  his  country  while  the  war  lasted,  he  was  the 
advocate  of  carrying  it  on  by  vigorous  measures  to  the  end. 
When  the  South  laid  down  its  arms,  and  acknowledged  its  de 
feat,  he  was  equally  pre-eminent  in  generosity  and  good-will. 
He  believed,  as  many  others  did,  that  the  true  way  to  bring 
about  a  genuine  and  true  re-union  was  by  kindness  and  gener 
osity.  Instead  of  sending  standing  armies  to  the  South  to 
usurp  the  sway  of  civil  government,  he  was  for  sending  money 
and  men  to  aid  the  defeated  to  make  glad  the  waste  places,  and 
to  build  up  a  new  Zion.  Had  his  ideas  prevailed,  much  of  the 
difficulty  and  subsequent  distraction  in  regard  to  the  re-estab 
lishment  of  government  would  have  been  avoided. 

We  find  in  the  last  volume  of  his  letters  one  addressed  to 
Mr.  Con  way,  who  had  charge  of  the  commissary  department  of 
the  Freedmen's  Bureau  in  Louisiana.  The  first  page  of  the  let 
ter  in  the  copying-book  is  so  indistinct  that  it  cannot  be  read  ; 
but,  from  the  subsequent  pages,  we  judge  that  it  had  reference 
to  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  South,  and  from  those  we 
quote  :  — 

"  The  waste  of  war  has  left  the  land-owners  poor  in  all  save  their 
lands.  Floating  capital  has  disappeared  in  the  South.  Their  mules, 
machinery,  fences,  buildings,  tools,  have  been  absorbed  by  the  enemy, 
or  destroyed,  or  worn  out  to  an  extent  hardly  to  be  appreciated.  And 
just  now,  when  they  need  credit  more  than  ever  to  replace  them,  they 
are  without  bankers,  factors,  or  lenders.  Without  money  or  credit,  the 
planter  can  neither  buy  mules,  corn,  bacon,  small  stores,  cloth  for  the 
support  of  the  freedmen,  nor  can  he  pay  them  their  needful  wages, 
while  making  the  crop.  To  aid  in  meeting  these  present  wants,  and 
help  restore  industry,  and  to  help  emancipation  prove  an  early  and 


LETTER    TO    MAJOR-GENERAL    SHERMAN.  643 

visible  success,  I  accepted  the  presidency  of  an  institution  called  the 

Company  and  Agency,  having  its  headquarters  in  New  York, 

and  a  branch  at  Boston,  and  agents  in  the  South ;  and  if  large  or 
smaller  capitalists  in  Europe  shall  desire  to  invest  either  in  cotton  lands 
or  in  loans  thoroughly  secured,  or  in  a  company  for  the  purchase  of  lands 
in  large  lots,  or  to  be  cut  up  into  small  freeholds  and  resold  to  the  freed- 
men,  poor  whites,  emigrants,  &c.,  our  company  could  act  for  them,  I 
think,  with  efficiency  and  success. 

"  I  would  recommend  that  you  should  consult  commercial  bodies  and 
mercantile    men   and  manufacturers   and    men  of  affairs  here  befo  «3 
leaving  home,  with  a  view  to  verifying  these  suggestions,  and  also  c 
procuring  such  expressions  of  opinion  as  they  may  choose  to  give,  fo* 
use  and  comparison  abroad. 

"  I  hope  that  every  exertion  will  be  made  now  and  without  delay 
to  introduce  reasonable  amounts  of  capital,  and  also  numbers  of  capa 
ble,  ambitious,  and  right-minded  men  into  the  South.  These,  more 
than  all  things  else,  will  tend  to  restore  society  and  business,  and  to 
confirm  peace  for  us  all,  and  practical  freedom  and  happiness  to  the 
colored  race. 

"Your  long  experience  and  official  connection  with  the  freedmen 
and  the  industry  of  the  South  during  the  continuance  of  the  late  war 
fits  you  to  impart  such  information,  and  render  such  service,  as  will 
conduce  to  a  speedy  accomplishment  of  these  results." 

On  the  28th  of  December,  the  Governor  wrote  to  Major-Gen 
eral  W.  T.  Sherman,  who  had  led  an  army  of  the  United 
States  from  the  interior  of  America  to  the  shores  of  the  At 
lantic,  — 

"  It  gives  me  great  pleasure  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  let 
ter  of  the  23d  inst.,  and  to  learn  the  good  opinion  which  you  entertain 
of  Massachusetts  and  of  Massachusetts  troops.  She  has  certainly  sent 
no  more  gallant  regiments  into  the  field  than  her  Second  and  Thirty- 
third,  which  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  serve  under  your  com 
mand. 

"  My  former  letter  was  addressed  to  you,  not  with  the  intention  of 
finding  fault  with  any  opinion  which  you  might  entertain  concerning 
us,  but  to  correct  any  impression  that  you  might  have  got  from  erro 
neous  statements  that  have  appeared  in  various  quarters,  and  under  cir 
cumstances  likely  to  mislead  those  not  officially  enabled  to  know  the 
exact  truth.  I  beg  leave  especially  to  ask  your  attention  to  my  last 
annual  address  and  its  appendix,  by  which  you  will  perceive  this  fact ; 


644  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

viz.,  that  all  the  men  added  to  our  quota  by  the  enlistment  of  foreigners 
and  colored  people,  were  absolutely  in  excess  of  the  quota  assigned  the 
State.  The  whole  number  of  colored  recruits,  whom  you  describe  as 
k  captured  negroes,'  was  4,731  ;  the  whole  number  of  *  imported  for 
eigners  '  was  907,  —  a  total  of  5,638  ;  while,  as  stated  on  page  83  of 
my  address,  our  surplus  over  all  calls  is  7,813.  The  number  of  colored 
recruits  enlisted  in  rebel  States  was  1,214;  the  whole  number  of  for 
eigners,  907, — a  total  of  2,121. 

"  Asking  your  indulgence  for  troubling  you  with  my  effort  to  main- 
1  in  the  good  fame  of  our  State,  and  hoping  that  you  may  carry  out 
our  plan  of  visiting  this  part  of  the  country  next  summer, 

"  I  remain  very  respectfully  your  friend  and  servant, 

"  JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

"P.S.  Strictly  speaking,  the  1,214  enlisted  in  the  rebel  States 
are  all  who  come  under  your  head  of  '  captured  negroes,'  as  the  rest 
of  the  4,731  were  enlisted  here  as  free  colored  men,  from  whom  we 
raised  two  regiments  of  infantry  and  one  of  cavalry." 

This  letter  to  General  Sherman  requires  a  simple  explana 
tion.  General  Sherman  was  a  United-States  army  officer, 
and  entertained  the  prejudice  which  prevailed  to  a  great  ex 
tent  among  that  class  of  gentlemen  against  the  enlistment 
of  colored  troops  ;  and,  when  agents  from  Massachusetts  were 
sent  within  his  lines  to  enlist  this  class  of  soldiers,  they  were 
not  well  received  by  him,  and  in  the  heat  of  the  moment 
he  made  remarks  not  only  disparaging  to  the  agents  them 
selves,  but  to  the  State  which  they  represented.  Like  a  true 
and  gallant  soldier,  as  every  one  knows  General  Sherman 
to  be,  he  wrote  to  Governor  Andrew,  expressing  his  regret 
for  the  words  spoken  in  haste,  and  took  the  occasion  to  speak 
of  the  two  regiments  of  Massachusetts  volunteers  in  his  com 
mand,  in  commendatory  words  which  their  services  made  so 
proper. 

On  the  30th  of  December,  the  Governor  wrote,  — 

"  The  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  will  place  on  the  nomina 
tion  book,  to  be  justices  of  the  peace  and  of  the  quorum  thereof  in 
this  Commonwealth,  the  names  of — 

"  Brevet-Brigadier-General  Horace  B.  Sargent,  late  aide-de-camp. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  Henry  Lee,  Jr.,  late  aide-de-camp. 

Colonel  Harrison  Ritchie,  senior  aide-de  camp. 


GOVERNOR   ANDREW   DECLINES    A   RE-NOMINATION.       645 

Lieutenant-Colonel  John  W.  Wetherell,  aide-de-camp. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  John  Quincy  Adams,  aide-de-camp. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  William  L.  Candler,  aide-de-camp. 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Albert  G.  Browne,  Jr.,  late  private  secretary. 
Major  Henry  Ware,  private  secretary. 
Major-General  William  Schouler,  Adjutant- General. 
Brigadier- General  John  H.  Reed,  Quartermaster- General. 
Brigadier- General  William  J.  Dale,  Surgeon- General. 
Brigadier- General  Richard  A.  Peirce,  Inspector- General. 
Brigadier-General  William  Raymond  Lee,  Chief  Engineer. 
Brigadier- General  William  L.  Burt,  Judge- Advocate- General. 
Brigadier- General  Elijah  D.  Brigham,  Commissary- General. 
Colonel  Joseph  M.  Day,  Provost-Marshal-General. 
Colonel  J.  F.  B.  Marshall,  Pay  master- General. 
Colonel  William  S.  King,  Constable  of  Commonwealth. 
Colonel  Charles  Amory,  late  Master  of  Ordnance. 
Lieutenant-Colonel    Gardiner    Tufts,  Assistant    Provost-Marshal- 
General,  State  agent  at  Washington,  of  Lynn,  Essex  County. 
Major  William  Rogers,  assistant  Adjutant- General. 
Major  George  C.  Trumbull,  late  Acting  Master  of  Ordnance." 

These  nominations  were  confirmed. 

The  war  being  over,  Governor  Andrew  determined  not  again 
to  be  a  candidate  for  Governor  of  Massachusetts.  On  the  13th 
of  September,  he  addressed  the  following  letter  to  William 
Claftin,  chairman  of  the  Republican  State  Committee  :  — 

"  My  purpose  was  made  public  at  the  beginning  of  the  present 
year  to  retire  from  office  at  its  close.  But  it  seems  more  respectful 
and  considerate  to  give  formal  expression  to  that  wish  by  communi 
cating  it  to  yourself  in  your  capacity  of  chairman  of  the  State  Cen 
tral  Committee,  and  authorizing  you  to  represent  me  therein  before 
the  convention.  I  pray  you  to  assure  the  convention  of  my  cordial 
and  grateful  sense  of  the  generous  kindness  which,  during  these  years 
of  anxious  service,  I  have  experienced  from  the  people,  and  my  hearty 
appreciation  of  the  honor  of  their  confidence  and  support  in  a  period 
of  difficulty,  and  under  circumstances  of  peril  and  care  without 
example.  If,  during  the  remnant  of  my  official  term,  I  shall  be  so  for 
tunate  as  not  to  incur  their  just  disapprobation,  I  shall  resume  the 
duties  of  a  private  citizen,  carrying  the  memory  of  an  official  career 
long  enough  for  ambition,  and  crowned  by  the  happiness  of  having 
served  the  State  with  singleness  of  heart." 


646  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    KEBELLION. 

The  Republican  Convention  met  in  Worcester  on  the  15th 
of  September,  and  organized  by  the  choice  of  Mr.  Gillett,  of 
Westfield,  for  temporary  chairman,  who,  on  taking  the  chair, 
made  a  brief  and  eloquent  address.  The  meeting  was  perma 
nently  organized  by  the  choice  of  Charles  Sumner  for  presi 
dent,  and  a  number  of  vice-presidents  and  secretaries,  among 
whom  were  several  of  the  representative  men  of  the  party. 

Alexander  H.  Bullock,  of  Worcester,  was  unanimously 
nominated  for  Governor,  and  William  Claflin,  of  Newton, 
for  Lieutenant-Governor.  Henry  S.  Briggs,  of  Pittsfield,  was 
nominated  for  Auditor ;  Jacob  H.  Loud,  of  Plymouth,  for 
Treasurer  ;  Chester  I.  Reed,  of  Taunton,  for  Attorney-General ; 
and  Oliver  Warner,  of  Northampton,  for  Secretary  of  State. 

In  the  afternoon,  speeches  were  made  by  Hon.  Charles  Sum 
ner,  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Mr.  Bullock,  the  nominee  for  Gov 
ernor,  and  Mr.  Claflin,  the  nominee  for  Lieutenant-Governor, 
and  a  series  of  patriotic  resolutions  were  reported  by  William 
S.  Robinson,  of  Maiden,  chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Resolutions. 

The  Democratic  Convention  met  in  Worcester,  on  the  29th 
of  September.  John  K.  Tarbox  was  chosen  temporary 
chairman,  and  Edward  Avery,  of  Braintree,  permanent  presi 
dent.  Both  of  these  gentlemen  made  short  and  well-ex- 

O 

pressed  addresses  upon  political  affairs  from  a  Democratic 
stand-point. 

Darius  N.  Couch,  of  Taunton,  who  had  distinguished  him 
self  as  an  able  and  efficient  officer  in  the  war,  was  nominated 
for  Governor,  and  Thomas  F.  Plunkett,  of  Pittsfield,  for 
Lieutenant-Governor  ;  S.  O.  Lamb,  of  Greenfield,  for  Secretary 
of  State;  Thomas  C.  Amory,  Jr.,  of  Boston,  for  Treasurer; 
Arthur  F.  Devereux,  of  Salem,  for  Auditor;  and  Horatio  G. 
Parker,  of  Cambridge,  for  Attorney-General. 

The  election  took  place  on  Tuesday,  the  7th  of  November, 
and  resulted  in  a  complete  triumph  of  the  Republican  party  ; 
electing  their  State  ticket  by  a  large  plurality,  and  an  over 
whelming  majority  of  members  in  both  branches  of  the  Legis 
lature. 

Our  regiments  and  batteries  had  all  come  home ;  their  battle- 


RECEPTION  OF  THE  FLAGS.  647 

flags  had  been  returned,  some  of  them  to  the  State  authorities, 
and  were  tastefully  displayed  on  the  columns  of  the  Doric 
Hall  in  the  State  House.  Some  of  them  were  held  by  the 
United-States  mustering  officer,  who  had  received  orders  to 
forward  them  to  Washington ;  which  order  was  subsequently 
revoked,  and  authority  given  to  have  them  placed  in  the  hands 
of  the  Governor  to  be  preserved  in  the  archives  of  the  Com 
monwealth.  It  was  then  determined  by  Governor  Andrew  to 
have  these  colors  received  with  all  the  honors  which  the  cause 
they  symbolized,  and  the  battle-fields  over  which  they  had 
waved,  made  proper  ;  and  he  selected  the  twenty-second  day 
of  December,  the  anniversary  of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims 
at  Plymouth  in  1620,  as  the  day  on  which  the  ceremony 
should  take  place.  Major-General  Couch  was  selected  to 
command,  and  Brevet-Major-General  Hinks  was  appointed 
chief  of  his  staff. 

The  day  was  a  common  New-England  wintry  day ;  the 
ground  was  covered  with  snow  to  the  depth  of  about  six 
inches.  Early  in  the  morning  of  the  22d,  the  veteran  officers 
and  men  of  our  gallant  commands  assembled  in  Boston,  and 
formed  in  military  order.  All  were  represented :  and  when 
placed  in  column  of  march  with  their  old  uniforms,  each 
command  carrying  its  tattered  flags,  some  of  which  had  waved 
over  fifty  battle-fields,  in  the  valleys  of  Virginia,  and  on  the 
mountains  of  Tennessee ;  had  followed  the  fortunes  of  Butler 
and  Banks  in  Louisiana,  Mississippi,  and  Texas  ;  and  had  been 
unfurled  where  Burnside  and  Sherman  had  led  in  the  Caro- 
linas  and  in  Georgia,  —  a  sight  was  presented  which  awakened 
the  most  patriotic  and  sublime  thoughts  in  the  heart  of 
every  loyal  person. 

As  the  procession  moved  through  the  different  streets,  busi 
ness  was  suspended,  the  sidewalks  were  crowded  with  spectators, 
banners  were  displayed  from  almost  every  house,  and  everywhere 
cheers  went  up  of  welcome  and  of  gratitude ;  a  salute  was  fired 
by  a  detachment  of  light  artillery,  bands  of  music  played  in 
spiring  airs.  The  whole  scene  was  one  which  will  never  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  witnessed  it. 

The  procession  reached  the  State  House  about  one  o'clock  in 


648  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

the  afternoon.  The  color-bearers  of  each  command  were  sta 
tioned  upon  the  steps  leading  to  the  Capitol ;  and  when  all  were 
in  position,  holding  aloft  the  war-worn  banners,  they  presented 
a  spectacle  at  once  imposing  and  picturesque.  The  arrange 
ments  were  completed.  Rev.  Samuel  K.  Lothrop,  D.D.,  made 
a  most  impressive  and  fervent  prayer,  at  the  conclusion  of 
which  General  Couch  stepped  forward,  and  addressed  Governor 
Andrew  as  follows  :  — 

"  MAY  IT  PLEASE  YOUR  EXCELLENCY,  —  We  have  come  here  to-day 
as  the  representatives  of  the  army  of  volunteers  furnished  by  Massa 
chusetts  for  the  suppression  of  the  Rebellion,  bringing  these  colors  in 
order  to  return  them  to  the  State  who  intrusted  them  to  our  keeping. 
You  must,  however,  pardon  us  if  we  give  them  up  with  profound 
regret ;  for  these  tattered  shreds  forcibly  remind  us  of  long  and  fa 
tiguing  marches,  cold  bivouacs,  and  many  hard-fought  battles.  The 
rents  in  their  folds,  the  battle-stains  on  their  escutcheons,  the  blood  of 
our  comrades  that  has  sanctified  the  soil  of  a  hundred  fields,  attest 
the  sacrifices  that  have  been  made,  the  courage  and  constancy  shown, 
that  the  nation  might  live.  It  is,  sir,  a  peculiar  satisfaction  and  pleasure 
to  us,  that  you,  who  have  been  an  honor  to  the  State  and  nation,  from 
your  marked  patriotism  and  fidelity  throughout  the  war,  and  have  been 
identified  with  every  organization  before  you,  are  now  here  to  receive 
back,  as  the  State  custodian  of  her  precious  relics,  these  emblems  of 
the  devotion  of  her  sons.  May  it  please  your  Excellency,  the  colors 
of  the  Massachusetts  volunteers  are  returned  to  the  State." 

The  Governor  replied  in  the  following  brief  but  beautiful  and 
eloquent  address  :  — 

"  GENERAL,  —  This  pageant,  so  full  of  pathos  and  of  glory,  forms 
the  concluding  scene  in  the  long  series  of  visible  actions  and  events  in 
which  Massachusetts  has  borne  a  part  for  the  overthrow  of  the  Rebel 
lion  and  the  vindication  of  the  Union. 

"  These  banners  returned  to  the  Government  of  the  Commonwealth 
through  welcome  hands.  Borne  one  by  one  out  of  this  Capitol  during 
more  than  four  years  of  civil  war,  as  the  symbols  of  the  nation  and 
the  Commonwealth  under  which  the  battalions  of  Massachusetts  de 
parted  to  the  fields,  —  they  come  back  again,  borne  hither  by  surviving 
representatives  of  the  same  heroic  regiments  and  companies  to  which 
they  were  intrusted. 

"  At  the  hands,  General,  of  yourself,  the  ranking  officer  of  the  vol- 


RECEPTION  OF  THE  FLAGS.  649 

unteers  of  the  Commonwealth  (one  of  the  earliest  who  accepted  a 
regimental  command  under  the  appointment  of  the  Governor  of  Massa 
chusetts),  and  of  this  grand  column  of  scarred  and  heroic  veterans 
who  guard  them  home,  they  are  returned  with  honors  becoming  relics 
so  venerable,  soldiers  so  brave,  and  citizens  so  beloved. 

"  Proud  memories  of  many  fields ;  sweet  memories  alike  of  valor 
and  friendship ;  sad  memories  of  fraternal  strife ;  tender  memories  of 
our  fallen  brothers  and  sons,  whose  dying  eyes  looked  last  upon  their 
flaming  folds ;  grand  memories  of  heroic  virtues,  sublime  by  grief; 
exultant  memories  of  the  great  and  final  victories  of  our  country,  our 
Union,  and  the  righteous  cause ;  thankful  memories  of  a  deliverance 
wrought  out  for  human  nature  itself,  unexampled  by  any  former  achieve 
ment  of  arms  ;  immortal  memories  with  immortal  honors  blended,  — 
twine  around  these  splintered  staves,  weave  themselves  along  the  warp 
and  woof  of  these  familiar  flags,  war-worn,  begrimed,  and  baptized 
with  blood. 

"  Let  the  '  brave  heart,  the  trusty  heart,  the  deep,  unfathomable 
heart,'  in  words  of  more  than  mortal  eloquence  uttered,  though  unex 
pressed,  speak  the  emotions  of  grateful  veneration  for  which  these  lips 
of  mine  are  alike  too  feeble  and  unworthy. 

"General,  I  accept  these  relics  in  behalf  of  the  people  and  the 
Commonwealth.  They  will  be  preserved  and  cherished,  amid  all 
the  vicissitudes  of  the  future,  as  mementos  of  brave  men  and  noble 
actions." 

The  pageant  then  dissolved,  and  the  colors  were  placed  in 
the  Doric  Hall  of  the  Capitol,  where  they  will  remain  to  testify 
to  future  generations  of  the  courage  and  endurance  manifested 
by  the  soldiers  of  Massachusetts  during  four  of  the  most 
eventful  years  of  its  history. 

After  the  services,  the  Governor  was  pleased  to  present  to 
the  Adjutant-General  the  original  manuscript  of  the  address  ; 
on  which,  in  his  own  handwriting,  was  the  following  indorse 
ment  :  — 

"  2  ^  o'clock,  P.M.,  Dec.  22,  1865.  —  This  is  the  original  manuscript 
used  by  me  in  reply  to  Major- General  Couch,  by  whose  hand  the  flag 
of  the  Nineteenth  Regiment  was  delivered  to  me,  he  acting  as  the 
commander  for  the  day  of  the  volunteer  column.  I  present  it  as  an 
autograph  to  Adjutant-General  Schouler,  by  whose  happy  thought 
1  Forefathers'  Day '  was  named  for  the  reception  of  the  battle-flags, 


650  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

and  whose  industry  and  care  helped  largely  to  give  a  brilliant  success 
to  the  ceremonies  of  the  day,  —  with  faithful  regards  of 

"JOHN  A.  ANDREW." 

This  great  and  interesting  occasion  was  most  admirably  illus 
trated  in  a  short  poem,  addressed  to  Governor  Andrew,  by  a 
gentleman  who  signed  himself  "  one  of  the  First  Massachusetts 
Cavalry."  The  author  was  Brigadier-General  Horace  Binney 
Sargent,  who,  at  the  commencement  of  Governor  Andrew's 
administration,  was  chief  of  his  personal  staff,  and  who  subse 
quently  went  to  the  war  as  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  First  Regi 
ment  Massachusetts  Cavalry,  was  afterwards  promoted  colonel, 
and  who  was  brevetted  brigadier-general  of  volunteers  for  brave 
and  meritorious  services  in  the  field. 

In  the  latter  part  of  July,  Massachusetts  was  honored  with  a 
visit  from  General  Grant  and  his  staff.  The  Adjutant-General 
was  detailed  by  Governor  Andrew  to  meet  General  Grant  at 
Albany,  and  present  to  him  a  written  invitation  to  visit  Boston, 
and  to  receive  the  honors  and  hospitality  of  the  Commonwealth 
which  his  great  services  so  well  merited. 

On  the  29th  of  July,  the  Adjutant-General  met  General 
Grant  at  Greenbush,  opposite  Albany,  and  presented  to  him  the 
Governor's  communication.  The  invitation  expressed  in  it  was 
accepted  ;  and  General  Grant  and  staff  proceeded  immediately, 
by  a  special  train,  which  was  elaborately  decorated,  to  Boston. 
The  party  reached  Boston  about  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening. 
The  crowd  around  the  depot  of  the  Worcester  Railroad  was  im 
mense,  and  the  sidewalks  of  the  streets  through  which  the  pro 
cession  passed  from  there  to  the  Revere  House  were  crowded 
with  interested  and  enthusiastic  citizens.  The  escort  duty  was 
performed  by  the  First  Company  of  Cadets,  under  command  of 
Lieutenant-Colonel  Holmes. 

The  passage  from  Albany  to  Boston  was  an  almost  unbroken 
ovation  of  the  people.  Wherever  the  train  stopped,  immense 
crowds  were  there  to  welcome  and  cheer  the  commanding  Gen 
eral. 

The  next  day  being  Sunday,  General  Grant  and  Governor 
Andrew,  with  their  respective  staffs,  attended  divine  service  at  the 
Old  South  Church.  Prayer  was  made  by  the  venerable  Dr. 


GENERAL    GRANT'S    VISIT    TO   MASSACHUSETTS.  651 

Jenks,  and  a  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Mr.  Manning.  On 
Monday,  General  Grant  received  the  attention  of  the  City  Gov 
ernment  of  Boston,  and  held  a  levee  at  Faneuil  Hall,  where 
many  of  the  citizens  were  introduced  to  him,  and  shook  him  by 
the  hand.  On  Tuesday  morning,  Aug.  1,  the  General  and  his 
party  left  Boston  on  a  special  train  for  Portland,  on  the  Boston 
and  Maine  Railroad.  A  car  had  been  fitted  up  in  the  same 
elegant  style  as  the  car  which  brought  him  from  Albany  over 
the  Western  road. 

The  same  enthusiasm  greeted  the  General  at  the  different  sta 
tions  where  the  train  stopped,  that  had  distinguished  his  journey 
from  Albany  to  Boston. 

By  order  of  Governor  Andrew,  the  Adjutant-General  was 
directed  to  accompany  the  distinguished  party  to  Portland.  In 
his  report  for  1865,  the  Adjutant-General  says, — 

"  In  the  evening,  I  took  rny  leave  of  the  General  and  Mrs.  Grant, 
and  of  his  staff  officers,  and  the  next  morning  left  for  Boston.  The 
occasion  was  one  that  I  shall  never  forget." 

Our  narrative  now  approaches  its  close.  But,  before  conclud 
ing  it,  we  deem  it  proper  to  speak  briefly  of  the  services  ren 
dered  to  our  soldiers  and  to  the  Union  cause  by  two  ladies  of 
Boston,  who,  during  the  entire  war,  devoted  almost  their  whole 
time  to  works  of  charity  and  love,  for  the  comfort  of  our  sol 
diers,  and  the  alleviation  of  their  sufferings ;  one  of  whom 
was  Mrs.  Harrison  Gray  Otis,  and  the  other  Miss  Abby  W. 
May. 

Mrs.  Harrison  Gray  Otis  was  the  daughter  of  a  Boston  mer 
chant,  William  H.  Boardman,  Esq.,  who  was  largely  engaged 
in  the  North-west  Coast,  China,  and  India  trade.  She  was 
early  married  to  the  eldest  son  of  the  Hon.  Harrison  Gray  Otis, 
who  bore  his  father's  name.  Upon  the  death  of  her  husband, 
she  passed  seven  years  in  Europe,  for  the  purpose  of  educating 
her  three  sons,  and  returned  to  America,  making  Boston  her 
permanent  home. 

Connected  by  blood  and  marriage  with  some  of  the  oldest  and 
most  distinguished  families  in  the  country,  blessed  with  personal 
attractions,  mental  gifts,  and  a  magnetism  that  drew  about  her  the 


652  MASSACHUSETTS    IN   THE    REBELLION. 

good  as  well  as  great,  Mrs.  Otis  has  held  a  place  in  society  un 
rivalled  in  her  own  city  or  State. 

While  many  of  her  sex  would  have  used  the  advantages  of 
her  position  for  selfish  advancement  and  social  distinction  merely, 
she,  with  a  large-heartedness  and  wide-spread  benevolence,  has 
made  her  power  felt  in  public  as  well  as  private  acts  of  charity, 
her  outgoing  sympathies  ever  on  the  alert  for  the  oppressed  and 
unfortunate,  of  her  own  sex  especially.  Where  fortune  frowned, 
she  has  held  out  her  hand,  smiled  and  encouraged. 

Public-spirited  to  a  proverb,  she  has  ever  been  ready  to  give 
aid  to  any  enterprise  for  the  benefit  of  the  needy,  setting  aside 
her  own  convenience  and  the  calls  of  social  position,  while  she 
devoted  time  and  labor  to  its  accomplishment.  "  The  Blind 
Asylum  Fair,"  "  The  Sailor's  Snug  Harbor,"  "  The  Washington 
Equestrian  Statue,"  are  among  the  public  works  that  bear  wit 
ness  to  her  labors. 

To  the  perseverance  of  Mrs.  Otis  we  are  indebted  for  the 
crowning  contribution  for  the  purchase  of  Washington's  tomb. 
The  last  gift  to  the  treasury  was  from  the  proceeds  of  the  Mount 
Vernon  Ball,  at  the  Boston  Theatre,  March  4,  1859,  that  origi 
nated  in  her  exertions.  The  sum  realized  was  about  ten  thou 
sand  dollars. 

It  was  also  chiefly  to  the  untiring  efforts  of  Mrs.  Otis,  which 
commenced  about  1850,  that  the  birthday  of  Washington  was 
made  by  law  a  holiday  in  Massachusetts,  on  which  occasion  it 
has  been  her  custom,  with  a  gracious  hospitality,  to  open  her 
house  for  a  public  reception  of  her  friends,  the  accomplished 
hostess  inspiring  those  who  thronged  about  her  with  the  patri 
otism  for  which  she  has  been  distinguished. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  late  civil  war,  Mrs.  Otis,  con 
sistently  with  the  previous  acts  of  her  life,  laid  aside  all  selfish 
and  social  interests,  and  resolved  to  devote  her  time,  labor,  and 
influence  to  the  interests  of  her  country.  The  City  Govern 
ment  of  Boston  was  offered,  by  the  liberality  of  William  Evans, 
a  hotel  called  the  Evans  House,  as  a  place  of  deposit  for 
goods  arid  money  for  American  soldiers,  sailors,  and  their  fami 
lies.  Mrs.  Otis  was  invited  by  the  city  authorities  to  take 
charge  of  the  enterprise,  and  carry  out  her  own  plans  for  its 


MRS.    HAERISON    GRAY   OTIS.  653 

management ;  her  practical  and  administrative  ability,  together 
with  her  high  position,  eminently  fitting  her  for  it. 

The  plan  of  placing  a  woman  in  communication  with  the  sol 
diery  outside  of  hospitals  being  entirely  original,  and  a  novelty, 
it  was  regarded,  by  many  persons,  wholly  impracticable, 
and  prophesied  a  failure,  as  well  as  insecure  from  insubor 
dination  and  rudeness  ;  but,  in  Mrs.  Otis's  first  report  to  the 
committee,,  she  states  that  nothing  could  surpass  the  exceeding 
respect,  deference,  and  boundless  gratitude,  with  which  she  had 
been  treated. 

A  Bank  of  Faith  was  at  once  established ;  not  one  cent  or 
shred  was  begged  for  the  great  cause,  the  enormous  demands 
being  supplied  entirely  by  voluntary  contributions  of  goods  and 
money.  Mrs.  Otis  gave  her  personal  superintendence  to  every 
thing,  assisted  by  three  persons  only,  not  absenting  herself  a 
single  day,  summer  or  winter,  excepting  on  Sundays,  and  days 
of  religious  festival.  An  important  part  of  this  novel  plan 
was,  that  the  donations  of  wearing  apparel,  books,  &c.,  should 
be  personally  made. 

The  Committee  on  Military  Donations  passed  the  following 
resolution,  Dec.  22,  1862  :  - 

"  That  this  institution,  under  the  management  of  this  most  excellent 
and  patriotic  lady,  has  been  of  incalculable  benefit  to  the  soldiers  of 
our  army.  By  her  untiring  perseverance  and  benevolence,  our  volun 
teers  have  been  supplied,  not  only  with  substantial,  well-made  clothing 
necessary  for  a  campaign,  but  with  many  of  those  smaller  articles,  cal 
culated  to  render  their  camp-life  more  comfortable,  and  which  only 
could  have  been  provided  by  womanly  kindness  and  forethought. 

"  Without  entering  into  details,  some  idea  of  her  labors  and  the  gen 
erous  donations  which  have  been  received  and  distributed  by  Mrs.  Otis 
may  be  derived  from  the  fact,  that  five  thousand  four  hundred  dollars 
have  been  received  in  cash,  and  two  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  six 
hundred  and  seventeen  articles  have  been  distributed  ;  many  donors 
presenting  well-filled  boxes  and  barrels  ready  for  hospital  use,  with  the 
assurance  that  they  were  properly  packed  for  transportation,  the 
package,  with  its  contents,  having  been  considered  but  a  single  article 
in  the  enumeration." 

Mrs.  Otis's  report   to  the  Donation  Committee  of  the  City 


654  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

Government  of  Boston  for  the  year  1865  states  that  she  has 
completed  the  fourth  year  of  her  interesting  work,  commenced 
in  1861  at  the  Evans  House,  remaining  there  two  years,  and 
two  years  at  126  Tremont  Street,  opposite  Park-street  Church. 

That  she  is  fully  confirmed  in  her  belief  that  the  institution 
had  been  a  great  and  unfailing  consolation  to  the  recipients. 

That  the  Bank  of  Faith,  under  Divine  Providence,  had  amply 
prospered,  the  same  contributors  who  so  nobly  commenced  with 
their  voluntary  donations  having  generously  adhered  to  it. 

That  the  supplies  of  the  house  had  not  been  confined  to  Mas 
sachusetts  alone,  no  soldier  with  fitting  testimonials  ever  leav 
ing  empty-handed. 

That  numberless  letters  had  been  received  from  camp  and 
hospital,  giving  grateful  assurance  of  the  safe  arrival  of  pack 
ages,  &c. 

She  returns  thanks  to  the  ladies  at  the  McLean  Asylum, 
Somerville,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Tyler,  for  the  large  number 
of  garments  for  the  soldiers  made  by  them  ;  also  to  the  Massa 
chusetts  Bible  Society,  for  the  generous  supply  of  testaments. 

That,  during  the  twelve  months  the  report  covers,  three  thou 
sand  dollars  in  money,  and  fifty  thousand  substantial  articles, 
had  been  distributed;  comprising  cotton  and  woollen  shirts, 
drawers,  socks,  mittens,  soldiers'  bags,  pocket-handkerchiefs, 
new  and  half-worn  cotton  and  woollen  shirts,  all  sorts  of 
half-worn  garments  for  soldiers'  families,  towels,  comforters, 
blankets,  coverlids,  pillows  of  all  sizes,  night-gowns,  bed-gowns, 
dressing-gowns,  slippers,  provision-bags,  sleeping-caps,  and 
every  variety  of  hospital  garments  and  stores,  including  tea,  cof 
fee,  chocolate,  cocoa,  sago,  tapioca,  corn-starch,  liquors,  wines, 
dried  and  preserved  fruits,  sugar,  molasses,  vegetables  of  all 
sorts,  all  kinds  of  lint  and  bandages.  Testaments,  Bibles, 
prayer-books,  and  tracts  have  been  abundantly  supplied,  and 
newspapers  of  all  sorts. 

When  we  are  told  that  nearly  a  million  of  dollars  in  money  and 
goods  passed  through  this  institution  during  the  four  years  of 
the  war,  we  can  realize  the  amount  of  labor  and  responsibility 
that  was  voluntarily  assumed,  and  successfully  carried  out  to  the 
end. 


NEW-ENGLAND    SANITARY    CONTRIBUTIONS.  655 

The  New-England  Women's  Auxiliary  Association,  of  which 
many  good  and  noble  ladies  were  active  and  distinguished  orna 
ments,  was  the  name  given  to  the  North-eastern  branch  of  the 
United- States  Sanitary  Commission.  It  was  organized  in  De 
cember,  1861,  with  headquarters  in  Boston,  and  continued  its 
work  until  July  12,  1865.  At  that  time,  finding  $6,462.14  in  its 
treasury  after  its  debts  were  paid,  it  resolved  itself  into  a  small 
committee  to  expend  the  residue  of  the  money  for  the  benefit  of 
disabled  soldiers,  or  women  and  children  left  by  the  war  without 
their  natural  protectors.  Its  first  officers  were,  John  Ware, 
M.D.,  president;  S.  G.  Howe,  M.D.,  vice-president:  Rev. 
Rufus  Ellis,  secretary;  and  George  Higginson,  Esq.,  treasurer. 
It  had  an  executive  committee  of  seven  ladies,  the  chairman  of 
which  was  the  acting  head  of  the  work  ;  an  industrial  committee 
of  six  ladies,  whose  duty  consisted  in  purchasing  material,  and 
getting  it  converted  into  garments.  The  cutting  was  done  by 
volunteers,  and  the  sewing  by  poor  women,  fairly  paid  for  their 
work  by  persons  of  wealth,  ready  to  do  the  twofold  good  of 
employing  the  poor,  and  furnishing  garments  for  the  soldiers. 
No  money  was  ever  taken  from  the  general  fund  to  pay  these 
seamstresses.  There  was  also  a  finance  committee  of  seven  gen 
tlemen  and  five  ladies,  whose  functions  are  sufficiently  indicated 
by  the  name.  In  addition  to  these  officers  working  in  Boston, 
there  was  a  large  number,  varying  from  fifty  in  the  beginning  of 
the  work  to  one  hundred  and  twenty-six  at  the  end,  of  associate 
managers,  ladies  living  in  various  cities  and  towns  of  New 
England,  who  undertook  the  work  of  a  rousing  interest,  each  in 
her  own  locality  ;  and  of  giving  requisite  information  in  regard 
to  the  needs,  and  the  best  method  of  meeting  them. 

Thus  organized,  the  association  began  its  work ;  bearing  in 
mind  that  its  duty  was  to  act  as  medium  of  communication 
between  the  officers  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  and  the  peo 
ple  of  New  England  ;  the  former  being  free  to  make  requisitions 
for  any  supplies  needed  for  the  soldiers,  which  requisitions 
the  association  was  promptly  to  make  known,  trusting  to  the 
people  to  supply  the  need.  It  never  trusted  in  vain ;  for, 
though  the  demand,  enormous  almost  beyond  power  of  compu 
tation  or  expression,  was  seldom  fully  met,  yet  the  response  to 


656  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

every  call  was  prompt  and  generous,  and  made  with  proofs  of 
hearty  good-will,  that  could  never  be  misunderstood. 

The  name  of  the  association  would  indicate,  that  it  covered 
the  six  New-England  States,  and  so,  in  a  certain  way,  it  did  ; 
but  it  was  plain  that  to  bring  supplies  northward  from  Ehode 
Island  and  Connecticut  would  be  unwise  ;  and,  consequently, 
those  two  States  forwarded  their  goods  to  New  York,  except 
on  a  few  occasions,  when  shipment  by  sea  to  some  remote  South 
ern  ports  was  more  cheaply  effected  from  Boston  than  from  New 
York.  The  statistics  which  are  contained  in  this  sketch  refer, 
therefore,  almost  entirely  to  the  work  of  Maine,  New  Hamp 
shire,  Vermont,  and  Massachusetts  ;  they  being  so  blended  in 
all  the  reports  of  the  association,  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
separate  the  share  of  Massachusetts  from  the  whole.  In  the 
year  1864,  a  statement  was  printed,  giving  the  names  of  towns 
from  which  contributions  had  been  received  during  that  year, 
and  summing  up  as  follows  :  In  Maine,  155  towns ;  New 
Hampshire,  65  ;  Vermont,  206  ;  Massachusetts,  301  ;  towns  in 
other  States,  8.  Probably  this  represented  fairly  the  propor 
tions  of  other  years,  though  it  does  not  indicate  at  all  the  rela 
tive  values  of  the  contributions.  A  small  and  poor  town  might 
perhaps  send  but  one  box  of  supplies  in  the  year,  while  others, 
more  favored,  would  keep  a  constant  succession  of  gifts  pouring 
into  the  general  stock.  But,  again,  this  last  statement  does  not 
indicate  the  proportionate  sacrifice,  or  rather  effort  (for  the 
word  sacrifice  was  seldom  used  by  the  women  who  worked  for 
the  soldiers),  involved  in  the  various  contributions.  Perhaps 
the  "one  box  from  the  small  town"  was  as  large  an  offering 
proportionately  as  the  full  stream  from  the  larger  town ;  and 
probably  it  represented  more  hours  of  midnight  work  after  the 
hard  toil  of  the  day  was  accomplished,  and  more  absolute  pri 
vation,  that  the  best  blanket  might  go  to  the  soldiers,  or  that 
the  money  that  was  actually  needed  to  keep  wife  and  children 
from  positive  want  should  be  spared  to  buy  comforts  for  those 
who  were  so  for  away.  These  vital  statistics  rest  in  imperishable 
records,  but  are  not  in  our  power  to  compute.  But  we  may 
bear  sincere  tribute  to  this  woman's  work,  — a  work  in  which  all 
joined  heartily  and  simply,  recognizing  no  distinction  of  rich  or 


NEW-ENGLAND    SANITARY    CONTRIBUTIONS.  657 

poor,  high  or  low,  but  in  which  the  real  sacrifices  came  upon 
those  least  favored ;  and,  to  their  honor  be  it  said,  by  them  was 
the  greater  part  of  the  work  done.  But  it  is  not  as  a  question 
of  proportions  that  the  work  deserves  to  be  considered  ;  rather  it 
should  be  looked  at  from  the  point  of  view  of  its  harmony  and 
its  universality.  Those  who  had  money  to  give,  gave  that ; 
those  who  had  only  time,  gave  that  most  precious  of  all  things. 
The  little  girl  set  her  first  stitches  on  the  comfort-bag  for  the 
soldier ;  the  little  boy  picked  blackberries  for  his  mother  to  con 
vert  into  jam  or  wine,  or  spent  his  pocket-money  in  some  article 
of  use. 

"  An  associate  manager  in  Maine,"  says  a  report  of  the  Association, 
"  writes, '  Some  of  the  towns  in  this  neighborhood  do  not  even  rejoice  in 
a  name  :  their  only  distinction  is  a  number.  We  have  had  a  contribu 
tion  of  one  dollar  from  little  children,  in  two  of  these  nameless  settle 
ments  :  the  postmaster  of  the  nearest  town  sent  the  money,  with  the 
names  of  the  children.  The  sums  given  ranged  from  three  to  five 
cents  each.'  " 

A  lady  who  had  lived  to  see  her  ninetieth  winter  prepared  with 
her  own  hands  a  cask  of  pickles  to  send  to  "  the  boys  "  in  the 
army.  The  school-boy  on  holidays  went  to  the  store-house,  and 
helped  to  pack  the  boxes,  which  many  an  express  agent  and 
railway  company  conveyed  to  their  destination,  free  of  charge. 
Telegraph  companies  offered  their  wires  without  cost ;  editors  of 
newspapers  opened  their  columns  freely.  A  Boston  gentleman 
gave  the  use  of  his  building  at  22  Summer  Street,  for  nearly 
two  years  and  a  half  to  the  association,  for  office  and  store 
rooms  ;  and,  when  he  could  no  longer  extend  such  liberality, 
two  corporations  of  gentlemen  gave  free  use  of  rooms  at  18 
West  Street,  and  in  the  Savings  Bank  in  Temple  Place,  until 
the  close  of  the  work.  And  so  on,  the  association  seems 
most  fully  to  have  proved  the  power  of  the  words,  "Ask,  and  ye 
shall  receive,"  and,  more  than  that,  to  have  received  freely  and 
constantly  when  it  did  not  even  ask ;  and  all  this  was  done  from 
the  highest  sentiment  of  patriotism,  and  for  love  of  those  who 
were  doing  their  utmost  to  save  the  country,  and  keep  it  worthy 
of  our  love  and  our  sacrifices.  If  this  record  of  the  work 
could  preserve  a  memory  of  the  spirit  with  which  it  was  carried 

42 


658  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    EEBELLION. 

on,  it  would  indeed  be  a  page  in  her  history,  of  which  Massa 
chusetts  would  for  ever  be  proud.  As  it  is,  she  need  never 
blush  at  the  mere  statistics  of  values  and  quantities,  remember 
ing,  as  she  must,  what  untold  treasures  of  patriotism  and  hu 
manity  they  but  partially  indicate. 

The  whole  number  of  garments  and  articles  of  bedding 
sent  to  the  soldiers  by  this  association,  throughout  the  three 
years  and  seven  months  of  its  existence,  was  1,010,869.  Of 
these,  the  all-important  and  most  costly  articles  form  a  large 
part,  as  follows  :  flannel  shirts,  75,314  ;  flannel  drawers  (pair), 
52,585;  cotton  flannel  drawers  (pair),  15,725;  stockings 
(pair),  125,536;  blankets,  9,663;  comforters,  14,540.  Of 
stimulants  and  food  a  great  variety  was  sent,  which  it  is  not 
necessary  here  to  mention  in  detail.  The  one  item  of  "  wines 
and  spirits,"  22,275  bottles,  may  serve  to  indicate  that  the 
quantity  was  great.  More  than  500  barrels  of  crackers  were 
sent;  and  tea,  coffee,  chocolate,  jellies,  preserves,  pickles,  con 
densed  milk,  beef-stock,  dried  and  canned  fruit,  vegetables, 
farina,  lemons,  oranges,  cologne  water,  bay  water,  medicines, 
and  articles  of  use  in  hospitals,  with  a  large  amount  of  reading 
matter,  writing  materials,  and  games. 

The  association  received  in  money  $314,874.07.  Of  this 
amount,  $145,950.85  was  obtained  by  a  great  and  successful 
fair  in  Music  Hall.  The  principal  part  of  the  remainder 
was  in  outright  gifts  from  individuals  and  societies.  About 
$133,000  was  expended  in  materials  for  clothing,  $22,000 
in  purchase  of  blankets,  $52,000  for  hospital  stores,  $1,600 
in  refitting  the  floating  hospital  "  Daniel  Webster "  for  her 
return  to  White  House,  after  she  had  brought  a  ship-load  of 
disabled  soldiers  to  Boston.  Ready-made  clothing,  to  a  small 
extent,  was  purchased,  and  shoes,  slippers,  surgical  instruments 
and  appliances ;  but  it  is  not  needful  here  to  enumerate  these. 
The  annual  reports  of  the  association  give  full  details  of  its 
expenditures. 

We  may  mention,  however,  with  pride  and  satisfaction,  that 
no  salary  was  paid  during  the  work,  with  the  exception  of 
$600  appropriated  to  send  an  agent  to  another  State,  to  do 
work  which  otherwise  would  not  have  been  done,  and  which 


NEW-ENGLAND    SANITARY    CONTRIBUTIONS.  659 

brought  immediate  returns  in  thousands  of  most  needed 
garments.  One  porter  was  the  only  person  permanently 
hired.  Occasionally,  in  times  of  great  pressure,  extra  help 
was  needed  and  had ;  but  this  was  an  insignificant  item  of  ex 
pense.  The  work  was  done  by  volunteers,  almost  entirely 
ladies,  who,  entering  into  it  at  that  early  period  when  its 
magnitude  was  not  at  all  foreseen,  yet  accepted  the  great  in 
crease  of  labor,  month  by  month,  to  the  end.  Some  of  them, 
who  opened  the  office  in  1861,  and  helped  to  unpack  the  fir.^t 
boxes  contributed,  stood  by  until  the  end,  sent  off  the  last  con 
signment  of  supplies,  and  closed  the  doors  on  the  completed 
work.  They  were  not  only  originators  and  supervisors,  but 
packers,  purchasing  agents,  book-keepers,  and  clerks  in  every 
variety  of  detail ;  and  they  carried  on  the  office  work  and  the 
system  of  book-keeping  in  a  manner  to  elicit  the  most  favora 
ble  comment  from  gentlemen  whose  business  knowledge  made 
them  competent  critics. 

It  was  pleasant  indeed  to  enter  the  spacious  office  at  22 
Summer  Street,  on  some  of  the  dark  days  when  defeat  and 
disaster  seemed  to  reign  abroad,  and  to  find  there  a  score  of 
resolute  women,  unpacking,  assorting,  stamping,  repacking,  in 
voicing,  and  forwarding  those  goods  that  were  to  assuage  ter 
rible  suffering,  perchance  to  bring  back  the  life  that  seemed 
almost  to  have  gone.  And  all  this  was  done  so  quietly,  so 
systematically,  with  so  little  thought  of  self  in  the  doing,  that 
the  spectator  knew  that  those  women,  young,  gay  and  thought 
less  as  many  of  them  might  otherwise  have  been ,  had  caught  the 
spirit  of  their  time,  had  recognized  the  terrible  issues  involved, 
and  had  accepted  gladly  a  share,  however  small,  in  the  great 
work,  as  the  best  opportunity  that  had  ever  come  to  them. 

Nor  let  the  women  outside  of  Boston  be  forgotten.  Hun 
dreds  of  them,  in  societies  or  acting  individually,  enlisted  in  the 
work  on  the  first  day  of  its  existence,  and  continued  in  it  until 
the  end.  By  constant  correspondence  with  the  Boston  head 
quarters,  they  kept  themselves  informed  of  the  probable  re 
quirements,  and  so  were  able  to  anticipate  the  need  in  the 
timely  preparation  of  supplies.  So  thorough  and  cordial  was 
the  understanding  between  the  branch  societies  and  the  acting 


660  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

committee  in  Boston,  that  a  word  flashed  over  the  telegraph 
wires  one  day  brought  sure  response  the  next,  in  boxes,  bar 
rels,  and  bundles  of  the  needed  article,  or  money  wherewith  to 
purchase  it. 

Such  is  an  outline  of  our  women's  work  for  the  soldiers 
during  the  war,  under  the  organization  of  the  New-England 
Women's  Auxiliary  Association. 

It  is  proper,  also,  that  the  services  of  the  New-England 
Soldiers'  Kelief  Association,  the  headquarters  of  which  were 
in  New-York  City,  and  whose  active  and  energetic  leader  was 
Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe,  should  receive  a  passing  notice  at 
our  hands. 

This  association  was  organized  April  9,  1862,  by  sons  of 
New  England  resident  in  the  city  of  New  York,  with  the 
purpose  of  making  arrangements  to  provide  for  proper  atten 
tion  to  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  as  they  should  from  time 
to  time  pass  through  New  York  on  their  return  from  the  seat 
of  war  to  their  homes. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  at  the  Fifth-avenue  Hotel,  March 
31,  1862.  Mr.  William  M.  Evarts  was  chosen  chairman,  and 
subsequently  president  of  the  association,  and  Mr.  William 
Bond  and  Dr.  Maurice  Perkins  were  chosen  secretaries,  and 
S.  E.  Low,  Esq.,  treasurer.  A  committee  of  three  from  each 
New-England  State  was  appointed  to  provide  the  necessary 
means  to  carry  out  this  work  ;  to  communicate  with  the  Presi 
dent,  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  other  members  of  the 
national  Government,  for  the  purpose  of  interchanging  views 
in  relation  to  the  relief  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  arriving 
in  the  city,  and  co-operating  together,  that  greater  efficiency 
might  be  obtained  in  effecting  the  purposes  of  the  association, 
and  to  select  a  suitable  location  for  its  uses. 

The  proprietors  of  the  Astor  House  tendered  to  this  asso 
ciation  the  gratuitous  use  of  a  room  or  rooms  in  their  hotel 
for  its  meetings  at  any  time  they  might  desire  to  make  such  use 
of  them. 

The  State  of  New  York  threw  open  the  Park  Barracks  on 
Broadway  as  a  temporary  receiving  hospital,  and  the  southern 
portion  of  it  was  at  once  fitted  up  for  that  purpose.  The 


THE    NEW-ENGLAND    ROOMS    IN    NEW    YOEK.  661 

Association  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New  York  and 
Brooklyn  were  appointed  to  take  medical  charge  of  the  pa 
tients,  called  the  "  New-York  Surgical  Aid  Association."  A 
building,  No.  194  Broadway,  was  rented  for  the  permanent 
uses  of  the  association,  and  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe  appointed 
superintendent. 

Five  committees  were  selected  from  the  members  of  the 
association  to  form  visiting  committees  for  the  purpose  of  re 
ceiving,  disposing  of,  and  attending  to  the  wounded  or  disabled 
soldiers  as  they  should  from  time  to  time  arrive  in  the  city ; 
such  committees  to  co-operate  with  the  State  agents  and  medi 
cal  attendants,  and  each  to  serve  one  week. 

A  "Women's  Auxiliary  Committee"  was  formed  to  co 
operate  with  this  association,  and  was  divided  into  five  weekly 
committees,  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  attend  at  the 
association  building  during  their  respective  weeks,  upon  due 
notice  being  given. 

An  invoice  of  hospital  bedding  was  received  from  the  Assist 
ant  Medical  Purveyor's  office,  New  York,  and  the  donation  of 
sundry  articles  from  several  generous  friends. 

His  Excellency  Governor  Andrew,  of  Massachusetts,  placed 
at  their  disposal  an  ambulance,  to  be  used  for  the  comfortable 
transportation  of  the  sick  and  wounded. 

His  Excellency  Governor  Buckingham,  of  Connecticut,  con 
tributed  personally  one  hundred  dollars  to  the  association, 
expressing  his  warm  appreciation  for  the  thoughtful  and  con 
siderate  kindness  in  making  provision  for  the  soldiers  of  his 
own  State. 

The  Governors  of  all  the  New-England  States  were  unani 
mously  elected  honorary  members  of  the  association. 

A  splendid  set  of  books  was  presented  by  the  well-known 
firm  of  stationers,  Messrs.  Francis  &  Leutrel. 

A  handsome  and  excellent  carpet  was  also  presented  by 
Alexander  T.  Stewart,  Esq. 

The  association  received  continual  calls  from  physicians, 
heartily  offering  their  services  ;  and  also  from  the  two  years' 
students  in  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  who  were 
willing  to  spend  day  and  night  in  rendering  professional  aid. 


662  MASSACHUSETTS   IN    THE    REBELLION. 

The  president  of  the  Adams  Express  Company  offered  the 
o-ratuitous  use  of  any  number,  from  one  to  twenty  wagons,  for 
the  purpose  of  conveying  wounded  soldiers  that  might  arrive  in 
the  city  ;  and  would,  with  pleasure,  furnish  horses  and  drivers 
also  for  this  benevolent  purpose,  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or 
night. 

The  treasurer  reported  the  receipt  of  $4,272  from  personal 
contributions. 

The  first  efforts  of  the  New-England  Soldiers'  Relief  Asso 
ciation  were  directed  to  meeting  and  supplying,  if  possible,  the 
imperative  need  of  a  hospital  for  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in 
the  great  metropolis.  For  a  time  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  gladly  availed  itself  of  its  facilities  for  this  service.  The 
work  rapidly  increased  until  the  association  was  formed,  and 
its  efforts  were  extended  to  soldiers  from  every  State.  Thus  it 
was  enabled  to  give  shelter,  comfort,  and  cheer  to  thousands 
of  men. 

From  the  ninth  day  of  April,  1862,  to  the  first  day  of  Sep 
tember,  1865,  it  received,  registered,  lodged,  fed,  aided,  and 
clothed  sick,  wounded,  and  disabled  soldiers,  coming  from 
almost  every  State,  to  the  number  of  86,673. 

It  also  received,  welcomed,  and  entertained  New-England 
regiments  passing  through  the  city  on  the  way  to  the  field, 
caring  and  providing  for  their  wants,  to  the  aggregate  num 
ber  of  278,496  men.  And  also  it  was  its  privilege  to  wel 
come  the  returning  veterans  of  our  glorious  armies,  34,383 
men,  bearing  upon  their  standards  the  names  of  those  memo 
rable  battle-fields  upon  which  they  had  won  such  immortal 
renown. 

This  does  not  include  the  regiments  which  passed  through 
the  city  from  the  States  of  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island  ;  the 
care,  reception,  and  entertainment  of  which  devolved  upon 
their  energetic  and  able  military  agent,  Colonel  John  H. 
Almy,  whose  entire  time  was  industriously  devoted  to  their 
interests,  and  whose  services  were  of  infinite  value  to  the  asso 
ciation. 

The  hospital  record  show  that  there  were  received  and 
recorded,  from  personal  visitations  at  the  bedsides  of  our 


THE    NEW-ENGLAND    ROOMS    IN   NEW   YORK.  663 

suffering  soldiers  in  hospitals  in  and  near  the  city,  the  names, 
company,  regiment,  residence,  hospital,  date  of  admission, 
wound,  disease,  and  final  disposition  of  every  soldier  who 
was  admitted  within  their  wards,  numbering  91,609  soldiers. 

The  number  of  soldiers  received  and  entertained  upon  their 
return  from  the  war,  was  34,383. 

The  total  number  of  sick,  wounded,  enfeebled,  discharged,  fur- 
loughed,  and  passing  soldiers,  aided  and  provided  for,  was 
490,661. 

Marvelle  W.  Cooper,  Esq.,  the  energetic  treasurer  of  the 
association,  whose  hearty  and  sympathetic  action  was  so 
strongly  enlisted  for  its  welfare,  reports  the  amount  of  its 
expenditures  in  the  forty-two  months,  $60,518.29 ;  being 
an  average  per  month  of  $1,440.91. 

Colonel  Howe  also  acknowledges  the  attention  of  the  United- 
States  Sanitary  Commission  throughout  the  war  to  the  interests 
of  the  association,  and  their  final  action  in  assuming  its  debts, 
amounting  to  $7,307.04. 

He  also  adds,  that  to  mention  all  to  whom  the  association 
was  specially  indebted  for  their  active  assistance  in  accomplish 
ing  such  results,  and  to  measure  out  to  each  his  adequate  por 
tion  of  thanks,  would  be  altogether  impossible;  but  he  places 
upon  record,  in  the  most  earnest  manner,  an  acknowledgment 
of  constant  obligation  to  the  Young  Men's  Night-watchers' 
Association,  R.  B.  Lockwood,  Esq.,  President,  who  main 
tained  during  four  entire  years  their  most  commendable  organi 
zation,  having  never  permitted  a  night  to  pass  without  two  of 
their  number  watching  as  faithful  nurses  at  the  bedsides  of  our 
brave  defenders. 

To  Mrs.  E.  A.  Russell,  the  matron,  are  tendered  the  fullest 
and  warmest  thanks  in  behalf  of  the  many  thousand  sufferers 
whom  she  has  relieved  ;  also  to  Dr.  Everett  Herrick,  whose 
unremitting  care  and  marked  skill  were  exhibited  in  his  attend 
ance  at  the  hospital. 

To  S.  E.  Low,  the  former  treasurer,  whose  protracted  ab 
sence  from  the  city  made  his  resignation  necessary,  but  by 
whose  ability,  prudence,  and  systematic  care  the  financial  con 
cerns  were  so  successfully  managed,  the  association  is  much 


664  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

indebted;  and  to  the  Eev.  Alexander  R.  Thompson,  D.D., 
Chaplain,  whose  self-imposed  and  efficient  labors  at  the  altar  of 
the  institution,  and  whose  devoted  ministrations  by  the  bedside 
of  the  sick,  wounded,  and  dying  men,  have  won  the  love  of 
all ;  and,  finally,  to  the  ladies'  committee,  whose  untiring  labors 
were  only  an  illustration  of  that  self-sacrificing  devotion  to  the 
cause  which  has  so  marked  and  characterized  the  women  of  our 
country  throughout  the  war. 

Colonel  Howe  does  not  close  his  admirable  report  without 
calling  to  mind  the  opportune  aid  and  counsel  at  all  times  of 
Major-General  John  A.  Dix,  late  commanding  officer  of  this 
Department.  Also  the  kindly  co-operation  of  Brigadier- 
General  R.  S.  Satterlee,  Medical  Purveyor  of  the  Depart 
ment,  and  Colonel  W.  I.  Sloan,  Medical  Director,  in  all 
matters  appertaining  to  the  interests  of  the  sick  and  wounded 
soldiers.  He  does  not  state,  however,  that  he  performed  his 
arduous  duties  during  the  entire  war  without  compensation  from 
this  Commonwealth. 

And,  finally,  he  is  indebted  to  the  long-continued  kindness 
of  Mr.  Charles  A.  Stetson  and  his  most  estimable  family ;  the 
near  proximity  of  the  rooms  to  the  Astor  House  impelling 
frequent  applications,  day  and  night,  for  the  luxuries  and 
delicacies  of  the  market,  which  were  always  afforded  with  an 
unsparing  hand  and  hearty  will,  with  the  refusal  to  receive  any 
thing  but  thanks. 

At  the  final  meeting  of  the  New-England  Soldiers'  Relief 
Association,  held  Feb.  12,  1866,  Hon.  William  M.  Evarts, 
President,  presiding,  the  following  resolution  passed  unani 
mously  :  — 

"Resolved,  That  the  grateful  acknowledgments  and  high  apprecia 
tion  of  this  association  are  due,  and  are  hereby  tendered,  to  Colonel 
Frank  E.  Howe,  for  his  patriotic  and  humane  devotion  to  the  interests 
of  the  soldiers  who,  disabled  and  suffering,  were  the  recipients  of  his 
thoughtful  kindness  and  care." 

Also,  on  motion  of  Hon.  R.  E.  Andrews,  — 

"  Resolved,  That  the  thanks  of  this  association  are  due  and  hereby 
tendered  to  Hon.  William  M.  Evarts,  President,  for  the  able  and  effi- 


MASSACHUSETTS    AND    BOSTON    SOLDIERS'   FUND.  C65 

cient  manner  in  which  he  has  discharged  his  duties,  and  for  the  benefits 
which  the  association  has  received  from  his  name." 

At  the  commencement  of  the  war,  a  committee  of  one  hun 
dred  gentlemen,  comprising  the  Governor,  all  the  living  ex- 
Governors,  the  Mayors  of  cities,  and  all  the  living  ex-Mayors 
of  the  State,  together  with  many  other  distinguished  gentlemen 
in  private  life,  formed  themselves  into  a  society  to  raise  and  dis 
burse  money  for  the  benefit  of  the  soldiers'  families.  The  fund 
thus  raised  was  called  the  Massachusetts  Soldiers'  Fund.  We 
have  been  unable  to  learn  the  precise  amount  which  was  raised  ; 
but  it  was  between  sixty-five  thousand  and  seventy  thousand 
dollars.  The  fund  thus  collected  was  invested  so  as  to  produce 
interest.  It  was  expended  under  the  supervision  of  an  execu 
tive  committee,  of  which  William  Gray,  of  Boston,  was  chair 
man,  and  who  himself  contributed  ten  thousand  dollars  at  one 
time.  Of  this  fund,  there  remains  about  thirteen  thousand  dol 
lars  unexpended. 

Another  organization  of  gentlemen  was  formed  in  Boston,  at 
a  later  period,  to  raise  money  for  the  benefit  of  soldiers'  families 
living  in  Boston.  The  fund  thus  raised  amounted  to  about 
seventy-five  thousand  dollars.  It  was  called  the  Boston  Sol 
diers'  Fund.  The  association  organized  by  the  election  of  Ed 
ward  S.  Tobey,  of  Boston,  as  president.  Two  trustees  were 
chosen  from  each  of  the  wards  of  the  city.  There  was  also  an 
executive  committee,  of  which  George  W.  Messenger,  an  alder 
man  of  Boston,  was  chairman.  The  money  which  was  raised 
was  put  at  interest,  and  there  remains  an  unexpended  balance 
of  about  thirty  thousand  dollars. 

The  remains  of  these  funds  are  still  used  for  the  benefit  of  sol 
diers  and  their  families,  and  will  be  until  they  are  exhausted. 

In  April,  1862,  the  Surgeon-General  of  Massachusetts  was 
the  medium  through  whom  donations  were  received  from  citizens, 
and  disbursed  as  his  judgment  dictated,  for  the  benefit  of  disabled 
soldiers,  and  the  families  of  those  who  had  fallen  in  battle. 
The  amount  received  by  him  during  the  year  1862  was  $504,  of 
which  Governor  Andrew  contributed  $250  ;  Miss  A.  Morton,  of 
Andover,  $202  ;  and  the  Joy-street  Baptist  Church,  $45.  Dur- 


666  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

ing  the  year  1863,  $260  were  added  to  this  fund,  the  whole 
of  which  was  contributed  by  Governor  Andrew.  In  1864,  the 
amount  contributed  was  $722,  half  of  which  was  contributed  by 
Governor  Andrew.  In  1865,  the  fund  received  an  addition  of 
$11,312.70,  of  which  $200  was  contributed  by  Governor  An 
drew  ;  $374.50  by  Colonel  Francis  L.  Lee,  the  amount  being 
the  remainder  of  the  regimental  fund  of  the  Forty-fourth  (nine 
months')  Regiment;  and  $10,465  was  contributed  by  Colonel 
J.  M.  Day,  Provost-Marshal-General  of  Massachusetts,  from 
surplus  funds  deposited  in  the  State  treasury  by  parties  to  pro 
cure  representative  recruits  in  the  army.  The  money  was 
donated  for  this  charitable  purpose  by  the  persons  to  whom  the 
money  belonged.  $1,000  of  this  fund  was  forwarded  to  Colo 
nel  Gardiner  Tufts,  Massachusetts  State  agent  at  Wash 
ington,  and  the  same  amount  to  Colonel  Frank  E.  Howe, 
Massachusetts  State  agent  at  New  York,  to  be  used  for  the 
benefit  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  at  New  York  and  Wash 


ington, 


These  contributions  of  money  were  wisely  expended  by  the 
gentlemen  having  them  in  charge.  Our  official  connection  with 
the  Surgeon-General  of  the  State  made  us  acquainted,  in  a 
degree,  with  the  scrupulous  fidelity  and  generous  regard  with 
which  that  gentleman  discharged  his  duties  as  disbursing  agent 
of  the  fund  placed  at  his  disposal. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  give  in  this  volume  a  full  and 
accurate  statement  of  the  different  benevolent  enterprises  which 
were  originated,  and  put  in  practical  operation,  during  the 
war,  for  the  assistance  of  our  soldiers  and  their  families. 
These  existed  in  every  city  and  town  throughout  the  Common 
wealth,  from  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the  Rebellion, 
and  did  incalculable  good.  We  doubt  whether  there  is  a  com 
munity,  of  the  same  number  of  inhabitants,  on  earth,  that  can 
parallel  the  benevolent,  humane,  and  patriotic  record  of  Massa 
chusetts. 

The  following  statement  shows  the  actual  number  of  men  fur 
nished  by  Massachusetts  for  the  service  of  the  United  States 
during  the  war,  of  all  arms,  and  including  both  the  army  and 
the  navy  :  — 


THE    MEN   FUKNISHED    BY   MASSACHUSETTS. 


667 


Organizations,  Terms,  &c. 


Number.      Aggregate. 


Three  Months'  Service,  1861. 


Four  (4)  regiments  infantry 
One  (1)  battalion  riflemen 


54,187 


26,091 

9,790 

6/202 


3,736 


96,270 


4,728 


Three  Years'  Men  in  the  Army. 

Forty  (40)  regiments  infantry 

Five  (5)  regiments  cavalry 

Three  (3)  regiments  heavy  artillery 

One  (1)  battalion  heavy  artillery 

Sixteen  (16)  batteries  light  artillery 

Two  (2)  companies  sharpshooters 

Recruits  including  drafted  men  for  the  above  organizations 

Men  for  the  regular  army,  veteran  reserve  corps,  and  other 

organizations 

Re-enlistments  in  the  State  organizations 

One  Year's  Men  in  the  Army. 

Two  (2)  regiments  infantry 

Two  (2)  unattached  companies  infantry 

One  (1)  regiment  heavy  artillery 

Eight  (8)  unattached  companies  heavy  artillery 

Seven  (7)  companies  cavalry 

Nine  Months'  Men. 
Seventeen  (17)  regiments  infantry     .... 

One  Hundred  Days'  Men. 

Five  (5)  regiments  infantry  ) 

Nine  (9 ) unattached  companies  infantry  J 5,461 

Ninety  Days'  Men. 

Thirteen  (13)  unattached  companies  infantry      ....  1  209 

Men  in  the  Navy. 

Number  for  one  year g  074 

Number  for  two  years 3'204 

Number  for  three  years 13*929 

Term  not  given '955 

Number  enlisted  from  Dec.  1,  1864,  up  to  and  including 
August,  1865. 

White  volunteers 2,741 

Colored  volunteers 1,308 

Regulars 432 

Seamen 154 

Marines 12 

Veteran  reserve  corps 266 

4,913 

Total 159,165 


G68  MASSACHUSETTS    IN    THE    REBELLION. 

In  the  above  we  have  not  included  the  five  companies  which 
joined  the  New- York  Mozart  Regiment  in  1861,  nor  the  re 
cruits  who  entered  the  Ninety-ninth  New- York  Regiment,  under 
Colonel  Wardrop,  formerly  commanding  the  Massachusetts  Third 
Regiment  in  the  three  months'  service  in  1861,  which,  if  added, 
would  make  the  aggregate  within  a  fraction  of  160,000  men. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1866,  Governor  Andrew  delivered 
his  valedictory  address  to  the  Legislature,  in  which  he  reviewed 
the  action  of  Massachusetts  in  the  war  during  his  five  years  of 
administration.  He  fixes  the  amount  expended  for  the  war  by 
the  State,  and  paid  out  of  her  own  treasury,  at  twenty-seven 
millions  seven  hundred  and  five  thousand  one  hundred  and  nine 
dollars.  This  was  exclusive  of  the  expenditures  of  the  cities 
and  towns.  She  had  paid  promptly,  and  in  gold,  all  interest  on 
her  bonds,  and  had  kept  faith  with  every  public  creditor. 

The  Governor  then  discussed  at  considerable  length  the  pos 
ture  of  affairs  in  the  rebel  States,  and  the  best  mode  of  bring 
ing  those  States  again  into  harmony  with  the  Union.  The 
views  which  he  expressed  on  these  important  topics  were  liberal 
and  generous  ;  and  if  they  had  been  adopted  by  the  country, 
and  carried  out  in  the  spirit  which  he  manifested,  reconstruction 
would  have  been  easy.  He  closes  this  able  and  statesman-like 
address  as  follows  :  — 

"  In  sympathy  with  the  heart  and  hope  of  the  nation,  Massachusetts 
will  abide  by  her  faith.  Undisturbed  by  the  impatient,  undismayed  by 
delay, '  with  malice  towards  none,  with  charity  for  all,  with  firmness  in 
the  right  as  God  gives  us  to  see  the  right,'  she  will  persevere.  Impartial, 
democratic,  constitutional  liberty  is  invincible ;  the  rights  of  human 
nature  are  sacred,  maintained  by  confessors  and  heroes  and  martyrs, 
reposing  on  the  sure  foundation  of  the  commandments  of  God. 

'  Through  plots  and  counterplots  ; 
Through  gain  and  loss  ;  through  glory  and  disgrace  ; 
Along  the  plains  where  passionate  discord  rears 
Eternal  Babel,  —  still  the  holy  stream 
Of  human  happiness  glides  on  ! 


There  is  One  above 
Sways  the  harmonious  mystery  of  the  world.' 

"  Gentlemen,    for    all    the    favors,     unmerited    and    unmeasured, 
which  I  have  enjoyed  from  the  people  of  Massachusetts ;  from  the 


THE    LAST    OFFICIAL    ACT    OF    GOVERNOR    ANDREW.        669 

counsellors,  magistrates,  officers  with  whom  I  have  been  surrounded 
in  the  government ;  and  from  the  members  of  five  successive  Legisla 
tures,  —  there  is  no  return  in  my  power  to  render,  but  the  sincere  ac 
knowledgments  of  a  grateful  heart." 

On  Saturday,  Jan.  6,  His  Excellency  Alexander  H.  Bul 
lock  was  sworn  into  office,  and  delivered  his  inaugural  ad 
dress  ;  and  John  A.  Andrew  passed  out  from  the  portals  of  the 
Capitol  a  private  citizen. 

On  page  405  of  the  63d  volume  of  the  Governor's  correspond 
ence  during  the  war,  each  volume  containing  500  pages,  is  the 
following  "Executive  Military  Order,"  dated  Jan.  6,  1866, 
which  was  the  last  official  act  of  his  life. 

EXECUTIVE  MILITARY  ORDER. 

The  Governor  and  Commander-in-chief,  at  the  moment  of  retiring 
from  office,  as  his  last  official  act,  tenders  this  expression  of  grateful 
and  cordial  respect  to  Major-General  William  Schouler,  Adjutant- 
General  of  the  Commonwealth,  who  has  served  the  country,  the  Com 
monwealth,  and  his  chief,  with  constancy,  devotion,  ability,  and  success, 
throughout  his  administration. 

Lieutenant- Colonel  Nehemiah  Brown,  assistant  Adjutant- General, 
will  publish  this  order,  and  enter  it  on  the  records  of  the  office. 

JOHN  A.  ANDREW. 

The  honor  of  having  been  associated  in  an  important  and 
confidential  position  with  John  A.  Andrew  during  the  five 
eventful  years  of  his  administration,  is  an  honor  of  which  any 
man  may  well  be  proud.  That  he  should  cause  to  be  placed 
upon  the  imperishable  records  of  the  Commonwealth,  as  his  last 
official  act,  the  order  above  quoted,  is  ample  compensation  for 
active  and  important  service  in  the  five  long  years  of  sanguinary 
conflict  which  marked  the  advent  and  the  close  of  this  great 
and  good  man's  official  life. 

With  the  end  of  Governor  Andrew's  administration  closed 
the  drama  of  the  great  war.  How  well  he  served  his  country, 
and  upheld  the  dignity  and  honor  of  Massachusetts,  these  pages 
may  in  some  degree  serve  to  illustrate.  But  we  feel  and  know 
how  much  greater  and  nobler  he  was  than  our  inanimate  words 
can  disclose. 

At  a  period  when  the  State  required  its  wisest  and  best  man 


670  MASSACHUSETTS   IN   THE    REBELLION. 

at  the  head  of  the  Government,  John  A.  Andrew  was  selected. 
We  believe  this  choice  to  have  been  a  special  providence  of  God. 
He  had  walked  amid  his  fellow-men  with  quiet  and  heartfelt  re 
spect,  with  a  conscience  untarnished,  and  a  heart  uncorrupted 
by  love  of  gain,  or  vulgar  contact  with  personal  strife  and  mean 
ambition.  He  possessed  transcendent  genius  as  a  leader  and 
executive  officer,  when  those  qualities  could  best  be  exercised. 
He  has  passed  away  ;  and,  with  him,  the  greatest,  the  wisest, 
and  noblest  of  Massachusetts  Governors.  But  his  great  deeds, 
comprehensive  statesmanship,  and  good  heart,  will  live  in  his 
tory,  and  the  affections  of  our  people,  to  the  end  of  time. 

We  had  hoped,  that,  before  this  page  should  be  written,  the 
restoration  of  that  Union,  for  the  integrity  of  which  so  many  of 
the  sons  of  Massachusetts  had  exposed  and  sacrificed  their  lives 
in  far-off  States  and  on  distant  seas,  would  have  been  effected. 
Our  hopes  have  not  been  realized  ;  but  it  has  been  from  no  fault 
of  those  brave  and  noble  men.  They  did  their  duty,  and  the 
nation  owes  them  a  debt  of  gratitude  which  can  never  be  re 
paid.  The  dead  who  are  buried  in  Virginia,  the  Carolinas,  or 
the  States  of  the  Mississippi,  at  Andersonville,  Salisbury,  at 
home,  or  wherever  they  may  rest ;  the  sick,  maimed,  and 
wounded  who  live  among  us  ;  and  those  who  escaped  unharmed 
from  a  hundred  battle-fields,  —  their  families,  their  names,  their 
services,  their  sacrifices,  their  patriotism,  —  will  ever  be  held 
in  grateful  remembrance  by  a  generous  and  enlightened  people. 
And  that  "  my  father  fought  or  fell  in  the  great  civil  war  to 
maintain  the  integrity  of  our  Union,  and  the  honor  of  our  na 
tion,"  will  for  ever  be  an  inheritance  more  precious  than  land  or 
riches,  and  a  title  of  true  republican  nobility. 


Cambridge :  J'ress  of  John  Wilson  and  Son. 


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